NeverEnding Story
by SetsunaKou
Summary: This is the continuing saga of our group of Gundam PilotsHeero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, & Wufei & the adventures & people they encounter as they grow and live out their lives. The story takes place a few months following the events in Endless Waltz...
1. Prologue

_We do not own "Gundam Wing" nor any of the characters._

**Prologue: "A New Day"**

**A.C. 197**

**"Could today be any more perfect?" A stately young woman muses to no one in particular as she stretches her arms to the brightening window beside her bed, as if welcoming in the new day with open arms.**

**For truly it was a joyous day inside the heart of this young woman. A young woman, who, through her late father's teachings and the convictions in her own mind and soul had rightfully earned the name of "Peacecraft".**

**"Today peace will be declared on Earth and the Colonies as well. We've finally made it through all of those tedious long negotiations over the questions that last uprising posed." Relena closes her eyes, seeing so clearly that misguided little girl, feeling so glad inside that things turned out the way they did.**

**"The way God intended fate to fall," Relena whispers to the window, but upon seeing the reflection in her own eyes she sees also distinctly the image of that someone God's mighty hand had used on that day--that someone out there that neither no one could hold any power over for any length of time.**

**And likewise it seemed neither could she. For all her triumphs in negotiations of peace and pacifist fortitude that kept the people of the worlds wanting to keep striving to maintain that peace she so longed for, there was that one longing Relena seemed never to obtain. Even her own boundless hope had flickered in the days and months since he had left without a trace.**

**"I wish you could stand with me today at the peace signing accords since you played the biggest part in making this peace possible. But I know that I am here still to do what I must...alone..."**

**"...Heero..." She thrusts the window open wide, and reaches out her hand as if trying to grasp in the thin air something intangible to ever touch.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Awakening**

**WHOOSH! Another young woman thrusts open her window, smirking with pride as she purposely lets the cool morning air rush on an unexpectant late sleeper.**

**Snore. Snore. Snore.**

**"Okay, Step 2," little (certainly not as in "young". Hildegard Rose Schbeiker would take great offense of being thought of a little girl anymore, she now at the mature age of 17) as in "short". Hilde struts across the pig sty of the room belonging to her housemate, deftly avoiding clothes and barbells and little metal "knick knacks" strewn about the floor. Her family's junk shop amply provided this full of ideas young man on how to "make" things from junk.**

**"You're sure full of something, Duo." Hilde grumbles under her breath as she nearly trips on the cord of some power tool or the other tucked not-so-neatly away under his bed. "This oughta wake you up." She smiles devilishly, pressing on the switch of Duo's antique CD player he insisted was far better than the computerized disc sounds of the day.**

**Some ancient pop group that Duo usually played over and over endlessly as he "worked" tinkering outdoors suddenly blasts on nearly full volume as Hilde lets is rip, increasing the already deafening level when the lump on the bed doesn't show a wink of coming into consciousness. The player at maximum output, Hilde's about to give up on "Step 2" and kick into "Step 3" when "it" on the bed begins to stir.**

**"Well, finally, Mister Sleepyhead, don't you know what--?" Hilde turns back around from turning down the disco ballad from playing just to find herself much in the same predicament as earlier. Her best friend who she thought was stirring to consciousness somehow turned back into a deep and loud snore.**

**"...day it...is...?" Hilde lets her sentence trail off in frustration at her impossible housemate. She had had enough this morning. "DUO MAXWELL!" In a voice ten decibels louder than the lungs her small framed body could seem to carry, Hilde screeches out in anger the name of the boy who had caused her so much torment, and extra work and frustration and---**

**"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Duo Maxwell's well toned body leaps to life, and like every well trained soldier takes evasive action against any incoming threat that could be so dangerously loud and nearby. That meant, in one swiftly mind numbed moment, grabbing the enemy and throwing her down hard to get a better assessment of the situation...**

**"...**_**I never really looked before, but no you take my breath away..."**_

**Hilde Schbeiker hears the low level music lyrics in the background ringing in her ears. She was still in shock, not registering anything---except Duo's strong hands gripping her shoulders, his breath in her face.**

**"Hildey! It's you!" Duo's coarse voice comes out half-relieved, half-angry at himself for being so rough on his best friend. **_**I mighta hurt you, you fool girl. **_**He shakes his head as he pulls away from Hilde's wide-eyed lock with him.**

**"'Course it's me, Duo!" Hilde quickly forces the red flush on her cheeks away. **_**I've gotten used to this nowadays. It just...wouldn't be right. He's my best friend and that's that. **_**She jumps up from the bed and fixes her mussed hair and clothing back into place in the dressing mirror. "Who'd you think it was waking you up? A raid of enemy soldiers pulling you out of your bed?" As soon as the sharp remark was out of her mouth, Hilde wishes it back. The sad look crossing Duo's already-beginning-to-smile face was enough for her to recall that Duo's generally, almost always, absolutely happy cheerful self held a past pain hidden deep from her--from everyone. Everyone except "The God of Death."**

**He blinks at her from behind, in the mirror. And in those large, beautiful indigo eyes, Hilde sees the little seven-year old boy she first met once again. But this time instead of herself as the lost and frightened little girl that needed consoling, he was there in her place. A young man who, through years of war and ruin around him, had come to believe himself the "Great Destroyer", leaving people dead around him in his midst.**

**"Duo, I..." Hilde swirls around, but by the time that second ticks by and she's facing her partner, that signature smile of his had already replaced the gloom. It made the whole room glow with his radiant shine.**

**"You, Hildegard Rose Schbeiker, have got the loudest set o' lungs on you that could scare the pants off any poor hardworking man trying only to get a few, well-deserved winks of sleep." Duo Maxwell's legendary unhinged tongue begins it's daily rattle.**

**Hilde rolls her eyes with a relieved smile, but that was the best thing about Duo, wasn't it? He could pull himself out from even the darkest doldrums, really mean it---and then carry you up along with him.**

**"Well-deserved, hard working man, huh?" Hilde spots some not so wholesome magazines on his nightstand and waves them in his face. **

**"A man needs some diversion once in a while, right?" Duo smiles angelically, grabbing the girly magazines and chucking them under the ever growing pile under the bed. "See? No pants." The devil in him smirks, knowing this would make Hilde blush again as she suddenly realizes after all the confusion of the morning that Duo was standing before her with nothing but his cute little briefs on.**

**"Get dressed on the double, Mister! We're way late because of you, lazy bones!" She pelts at him, retreating out the door. **

**"Yes, Ma'am." Duo salutes, his braid flying as he watches her leave with a smile.**

**RRRoarrrrrr. Squawkkkk. Cclannnggggg!**

**The clatter of metal bars**

**Scrapings of pails and cement **

**Monkeys squealing in delight**

**Elephants trumpet their approval **

**Lions purring a soft growl**

**And amidst the clutter and cacophony of sound, a singular man stands silently. Contemplatively, he strokes the ferocious king of beasts as easily and fearlessly as a small child would tickle a pet kitten. But the lion was, by far, not a kitten and the man was certainly not a child any longer.**

_**Was I ever a child? **_**Inside the beautiful mind that matched the beautiful face of man, a saddening thought strings its way through the bright, flawless day. Trowa Barton was his name now, but Trowa Barton was not who he was. As the eyes of a nameless young man gaze over from where he was feeding and putting up the animals to their cages, the line of traffic of cars and buses slowly make their way back home from the sights and spectacles they had just seen.**

**"Go on, eat your dinner, Girl." Trowa smiles the genuine smile he gave to those he called "dear." This sweetly tamed lion was no different. To Trowa, he was the noble beast that had become a cherished friend to a man of almost noble gentility.**

**Walking back into the center of the now darkened circus tent, he stands, stock-still.**

**A multi-colored balloon floats past**

**The scents of cotton candy and popcorn wafting**

**The hustle and bustle of an expectant crowd**

**The circus manager's booming voice on the bullhorn**

**Animals performing magically, delighting the crowd**

**The little eyes of children sparkling down innocence from above**

**A dance of purple**

**The whiff of French perfume**

**The glint of a steel blade as a flutter of yellow chiffon in his face**

**The spotlight gleams it's blinding light in his face**

**The show must go on...**

_**I have always been a clown. **_

**"Trowa? Trowa are you in there?" A voice, so lilting and melodic sings it's concern out to the ears of he who had never imagined for the first sixteen years of his lonely life, that someone's voice could ever hold such genuine concern and care for him. For the childhood that never was, he never knew such kindness until he became a man. Until she entered his life, entered his heart, and entered his soul.**

**"I'm here, Cathrine." And from the darkness comes a voice that was so pure, so gentle, so magnificent--all of time seemed to stand still in his presence. And so, neither can she help but feel the flutter of her heart in her chest at the small thing of hearing his soft voice, though for the thousandth time, though for the millionth time, Cathrine Bloom would never tire of it. She would never tire of its warmth and sweetness, just as it had been that first time they met, which seemed so long ago.**

_**No, it's only been two years, hasn't it? Silly...but it seems I've known you all my life, my beloved boy. **_

**"Trowa! Manager and I have been looking everywhere for you!" Cathrine shields the bright, bold flashlight she was searching the now pitch-dark circus grounds for one missing circus clown. Even in the blackness of the big top inside, illuminated only by her small torch and a faint hint of moonlight outside, Cathrine could so easily trace the lines of Trowa's slim and tall manly form. For in his suspendered pantsuit only, it was so obvious to see this seventeen year old was the perfectly made man. The type all girls dream of--the perfect body, the perfect face, the perfect hair, the perfect eyes, perfect voice, the perfect... **

**Cathrine could go on and on, as nowadays she would let her mind often do, so enamored of her circus partner this knife-thrower had become.**

**"Oh?" A soft smile comes to his lips and his vague eyes light up at the sight of her. In his mind, she was the perfect woman--lady, too. Cathrine had acted so much the older sister to a lost and wayward boy, and yet...though Trowa did try to bury his unworthy adoration of her, he couldn't help but ride on the wings of aspiration. He kept this secret inside a beautiful heart, that perhaps, maybe, one day, this creature of pureness, innocence and splendor would maybe, if he dare think he could be so luck, love him---even if it was only for a small, tiny moment of how he loved her. He had come to adore her more and more each day, it was enough to last him his entire life.**

**"Yes. We've been looking for you everywhere, Trowa." Cathrine lets Trowa lead her by the arm out underneath the moonlit night as she explains. "A message has come for you. He said that is was, let me see--"Because peace is so precious for all of us, it's absolutely imperative that Trowa be there to see it happen at long last." Those were his exact words." Cathrine looks up to the tall man beside her with a slightly wicked grin. "Can you guess who it was?"**

**"Guess? Well, it does sound like something important is happening on Earth so that means that---" Trowa begins to say.**

**"That means that you and I are going on a little trip to visit Quatre Raberba Winner then, right?" Cathrine leans an overpowering arm into Trowa's--one that would not take "no" for an answer tonight.**

**"Right, Cathy." Trowa smiles that smile he gave only to her.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Darkness & Light**

**It was well past mid morning when a serious looking man seated at a gleaming polished, stately oak desk lifts his deep-in-thought focus from the documents, plans and papers of importance demanding his attention, to gaze about the room he was in.**

**Behind the "real" wooden oak desk (this oak was over 100 years old--only recently since the one world Alliance had fallen--had the cutting down of trees for human use been allowed again).**

**"And rightly so." A dark man's weather worn hands gently tap the solid wood as his wizened eyes smile. He knew well the fine balance between man and the ground he was born to was not as fine a line as other men, greedy to proceed with only their own silly power phases and wealth, would have the general public believe. **

_**We were all put on this earth to coexist within it and each other along the way--give and take what we need, not just what we're allowed. **_

**Dark eyes nod at the latest plan on the desk--the one that was being prepared for the development of tree planting and farmlands in the North American region. That was one of the foundation's main focuses these days. For from the farmlands, seeds of crops and young saplings of trees were cultivated and gathered to send off to grow anew in the developing colonies...**

_**The Colonies.**_

**The distinguished man stands up, moving his gaze from the computer screen to the blue sky outside the sixty plus story building. From where he was now standing at the full-walled glass window he could see nothing but the blue sky and the sun just starting on its peak towards the heavens. But he knew beyond the great blueness there were places beyond. Colonies that so many wanderers with pioneering spirits had decided one day to call home. Cities they had built through their own hard work and sweat and tears and hoped and prayed that their descendants one day would have the same love of these colonies of outer space to protect and maintain their acheivements. **

**"So it shall be." The man says out loud knowing, with a smile, he was unheard. His weathered eyes, from where he stood tall and foreboding, in command from behind the large desk and skyscape beyond, move to a small figure in a corner of the room. As yet, so still and quiet, remained heretofore, unnoticed.**

**There, in the far corner of the spacious office, a young boy sits indian-style, silently amusing himself amongst the cleverly sculpted and built to 1/100th scale size of the main city of the X-19444 Colony--at least at what he hoped it to be someday. X-19444 was still in its first terraforming stages and would be a good many years before such technological acheivements such as two-hundred-story high skyscrapers and in-sky transports would be in place.**

**But lifeless, engineered floating masses of weightless steel and titanium alloys needed dreams like this design to transform them into Colonies.**

**"Beautiful, isn't it, Rasid?" The blonde boy squatting on the floor could be no more different in stature than the monstrously tall man striding methodically where he sat. He could be no more different in the soft tenor of his sweet voice, in the starkly paled look, in the casual slacks and vest as compared to the garb of an Arabian soldier. The meek attitude versus the no-nonsense stoicism--that look of utter awe on his wide-eyed features. But no, one thing was alike in the two. Something Rasid could feel so acutely, so plainly in the boy's crystal clear, aqua eyes. The love of kindness in humanity--the love of peace between the Earth and Outer Space--the love of freedom for all. And each of those things were promised to be officially declared today, in the boy's joyous eyes.**

**"What's beautiful now?" Rasid's low-timbred voice resounds off the walls. His well placed crossed arms gave him that strong, commanding air as he looks down with a smile at the boy he called...**

**"Master Quatre?"**

**"The city." Master Quatre excitedly spreads his hands over the scale model of the city. His eyes were gleaming. "This city is beautiful." He smiles brightly up at the tall man. "The sky today is beautiful." Quatre jumps up, touching the clear window as if reaching for the sky. Rasid continues to smile, admiring the boy's enthusiasm as Quatre stands, leaning against the window, soaking up the sun's rays on his pale brow, as often he was want to do.**

**Rasid often found his vibrant "master" full of fits of emotional outbursts, of awestruck wonder that kept this sixteen-year-old the most innocent of young men. **

**"The Earth, the people, Outer Space--they're all beautiful!" Quatre exclaims beaming smiles. "Today--" Quatre was about to put a topper on his exuberant tirade, Rasid was certain this time when...**

**"...is beautiful?" A high-pitched female voice unexpectedly intrudes on the office. Quatre freezes and turns white as a sheet at the window he was leaning against. He spins to see someone he certainly didn't expect to see standing before him.**

_**It WAS beautiful,**_** Rasid thinks silently rolling his eyes as suddenly, without warning, the bright sunlit sky behind his "Master" Quatre suddenly turns dark and foreboding, downcast.**

**"Hmph." A man snorts in disgust it seems from inside the cockpit of a spacecraft. Wearing the uniform, a brown and black leather jacket, that made him a member of the Preventers group, Chang Wufei wonders, for the hundredth or so time in the past half hour why he was going where he was going and---once he got there, what was the quickest way back out.**

_**And without her knowing. **_**Wufei's thoughts plot evilly, smirking to himself of the silly, false command over him he magnanimously allowed that certain "her" to think she had over him these past few months.**

**"What's the "hmph" and that dog-eatin' 'I-told-you-so' smirk doing on your face, Mister?" **

_**That her, again.**_** Wufei can't help but give himself an extra moment of gloat before he lowered himself down to speaking civilly, one on one with a---**

**"Woman," he begins and ends nearly every address to his commanding officer in this simple, belittling way as he spoke the same to all of the female variety.**

**"Yes, Wufei?" Sally Po had long ago let that little (okay not so little, in Wufei's case) bit of male chauvinism go. She considered herself a knowledgeable, experienced, well-traveled "woman" who had quite a bit more between her swirled pigtails than Chang Wufei would ever be able to fit in front of his tiny ponytail.**

**"Woman," Wufei continues, as stated above, not having any inkling that this example of the lower spectrum of the species (i.e. female) did not revere him at all times as the quintessential perfection of a man in all ways that considered he was. "What is the purpose of...this Preventers unit..."**

_**You never can say "us", can you, Wufei?**_

**"...travelling hundreds of thousands of miles, wasting valuable fuel and resources, plus above all, time, on a silly, below my---" Wufei pauses, rephrasing, "--below this unit's worthiness to attend a party and a parade." The final two words seemed like blows against Mr. Chang's egocentric ways. Chang Wufei, member of the Dragon Clan, did not---DID NOT--go to party at parades.**

**"Wufei." Sally has heard herself argue this certain point so many times that she felt even the walls of this space shuttle were moaning at the thought of hearing it again. **_**Sorry walls.**_** Sally too moans herself inside. **_**But it looks like you're the only audience I've got in this 2-man craft. **_**Sally manages a slight smile. (Mostly at her own inside joke) and looks up from the controls to the man sitting in the pilot seat beside her in the cockpit. His black as coal eyebrows were raised, mirroring the question put in the air with his equally black as coal eyes, gazing at her intently for what the answer might be.**

**"Wufei, try to listen this time. Let it sink into that thick head of yours." Sally Po was not a woman to mince words. She wished sometimes she could mince something else instead on this spaceship. "We have orders. You hear that? Orders. O-R-D-E-R-S. Here, they're on the screen." Sally easily taps in codes and inputs from their last orders from Central, the one that recalled their ship back to Earth for the ceremonies of the Peace Signing Accords. **

**"Peace. Hmph. We'll see how long that lasts." Wufei scoffs, reading the type on the screen.**

**"A very, very long time if we do OUR job right. You wouldn't want to be accused of being half-hearted in any battle, would you, soldier?" Sally knew how to push this warrior's buttons (and rile him up along the way too). She ignores Wufei's snort and continues. "Our battle is against threats to peace, no matter how small they may seem. For peace in the Colonies, for peace on Earth, for---" Sally stops her dutiful commander's tirade. Wufei has, as usual, already tuned her out. He was reading the orders on the screen. That seemed a better pastime to him than listening to Sally's droning voice in his ear.**

**"Hmm. So this whole Peace Accords thing was set up by Relena Peacecraft and Une, huh? Sounds like something women would dream up." Wufei chuckles to himself as Sally feels her feminist hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end.**

**"Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and Colonel Une," she reminds him of the authority THAT particular woman held over him in the Preventers group, much to Wufei's chagrin.**

**"LADY Une." Wufei retorts with a smirk. The title, a certain important someone in both their pasts so named that most unladylike of creatures. "I do hope the weather man's right for once and it rains buckets on your silly parade." Wufei smirks, giving a silent salute to that certain vector of space as a ship zaps by, almost to their destination--Earth.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Signs of Life**

**"Zechs, what are you so entranced with out there?" **_**And not paying enough attention to me...**_

**A stunningly beautiful, dark haired woman lets her long black bangs shade her laughing blue eyes as she continues drying off the freshly showered short-cropped hair at the base of her neck.**

_**As if I didn't know you well enough. **_

**Lucrezia Noin rests a familiar hand on her lover's wide shoulder, letting her fingers play loosely in his long, deathly pale blonde hair.**

**"Zechs?" Noin repeats the taken name of her companion, her partner, the love of her life. She knew behind the furrowed brows was a mind in turmoil again at the very sight of the blue star of his birth. **

_**Oh, Zechs. **_**Noin sighs to herself, knowing that the man she knew as Zechs Marquise was miles away from where he sat in the small shuttle beside her just minutes ago, playing their usual game of chess.**

**Chess was a good way to pass the time for a pair of star-crossed wanderers. **_**But no, we're not wanderers anymore. Zechs and I, we're building anyone who dares come out this far on the new X-19444 Colony a new place to live, a new future to forge and new---home. **_

_**Home. **_**Noin lets her own mind wander, realizing Zechs was not just suddenly going to grace her with his presence anytime soon. **_**You know, Lieutenant, **_**Noin smirks inwardly at her affectionate play at his old military rank, **_**I've crossed the universe, moved my entire life to a new world just for you---just to be with you. And after all we've been through, after all the hardship and work we've done together---I haven't regretted it. Not any of it. Not the sweat we've shared breaking new ground, the living rough just to be able to claim a new world as our own. To be able to say "You, Zechs Marquise can be a free man whether you're Zechs or Milliardo." You can live your life out doing what you want to do. Not only as a "dead man", but as a living, breathing soul---and I want nothing more than to be at your side. Always. Because I love you, you silly man. That's why I married you, right?**_

**Noin looks up from her reverie to find a pair of steely-blue eyes staring back at hers. If his eyes could smirk, they would be. Zechs knew Noin as well as she knew him. He knew his level-headed, take-charge female companion was not one for the reveries he so often found himself lost in.**

**"Noin?" He asks in low tones as she refocuses on him.**

**"Hmm?" Noin simply smiles back, no explanations necessary.**

**"I certainly hope that boy has some damn good connections in the higher ups to get us that okay for the mass shipment of supplies we need on the colony. Free---yes, generous to little known colonies, just starting on the other side of the galaxy? I'm not so sure of that." Zechs comments, rather sourly, over the reason for their trip.**

**"Don't you worry, Zechs." Noin massages her husband's tense shoulders. "I'm sure Quatre has a very good political connection. I'm sure he's handling everything beautifully."**

**Handling beautifully? Those would not be the words anyone would use to describe the way "that boy"--our young entrepreneur was handling this certain political "connection." **

**He had been standing stock-still at the window for over thirty seconds, eyes frosted over with fright it seemed and hands pinned to the glass window behind him. Rasid was glad this particular building's window structure was especially strong otherwise his young Master Quatre's stumble backward may have ended in a far worse fate---though Rasid himself couldn't imagine the current situation much more favorable an outcome.**

**The happy mood and sunshine had left both the room and his Master Quatre's face the moment that certain shadow had walked through the doors---HER shadow.**

**"D-d-dorothy Catalonia..." Quatre finally stutters with big, frightened eyes.**

**"Quatre Raberba Winner." The long blonde, evil-eyed woman seemed to hiss out his full name, with a pasty smile fixed upon her smirking face.**

_**The presence of an evil viper.**_

**Rasid can't help but let the thought slip in his subconscious. He had heard tales of this particular blonde vixen's treachery, though not a singular unkind word had been uttered of her from his compassionate master. Rasid had heard the rumors amongst his other Maganac compatriots that she was somehow responsible for that terrible wound that almost took his Master's life in that battle, a lifetime ago.**

_**The presence of evil.**_

**Rasid's eyes slit at the Catalonia woman as she takes a certain step forward. **

**"Why, I don't mind if I do. You're so kind to ask." Dorothy seems to be having a private conversation with an invisible member of the room. She boldly walks up to the desk and seats herself---not in the guest's seat, but on the edge of the stately desk. She arranges herself there purposely, toying with the papers and pens on the desktop before swiveling around with blinding speed. Her long, dark indigo velvet skirt swished as she spun. Standing, she plants a high-heeled, real gold buckled foot directly in front of Quatre until her flaming eyes and smirking mouth were mere inches from the befuddled Winner heir's.**

**She grabs his shirt collar, seeming about to choke him in an attack. All this occurs within the flash of a moment. Rasid's sword, readied at his side was now already half out of its sheath when he realizes that his Master was not truly in danger---not of the immediate type, anyway. This was just this strange woman's way of becoming "friendly."**

**"Listen. You need me and I need you. Let's say we make a deal, Raberba Winner? Do you agree to my terms?"**

**If Rasid was taken aback by this female's directives, Quatre was beyond confused. His aqua eyes blink, his cloudy mind was sure he was fuzzing out, that this sudden outburst was not happening. That Dorothy Catalonia's dark blue eyes, reddened lips and hot breath was not breathing fire on his red cheeks. That her long nailed, well-manicured fingers were not grasping at his similarly red neck. He felt that red blush creeping all the way around his body, starting at the top. Cheeks, face, ears, neck, and the red continues to creep down.**

**The two seem to stand there against the cold glass for an eternity. The blushing, innocent prey in the clutches of the cool-headed assailant. Aqua freezing under her ice-blue gaze. Someone had to do something. Soon. Or Rasid was afraid his thin-blooded Master might faint.**

**"Ahem. Terms? Will you kindly explain what sort of "deal" you are proposing, Miss...?" Rasid takes an imposing step forward, seeming to think his deep-throated voice and seven-foot height might intimidate the blonde vixen from attacking his Master any longer.**

**No dice. Quatre was the only one intimidated in this office...**

**"Yes, well." Dorothy seemed to take joy in hissing each word directly into Quatre's face, not lessening her grip around his collar. "It's come to my attention that you, Quatre Raberba Winner, are in need of an influential contact in the Senate of Commerce, willing to say a kind word in your direction---and sign a few important documents along the way." Dorothy's snake-like eyes glance backwards towards the very documents she merely seemed to have fingered idly when she entered the room. Rasid gave her credit for having sharp eyes---sharp as a razor knife.**

**"Giving support to shipments of millions of tons of Earth resources and manpower, as well as highly-explosive devices on transport means along weapon-free, sanctioned vectors of space." In the time of one breath, Dorothy Catalonia spelled out exactly what Rasid and his Master were planning to propose to the Senate Council for the past two months. They had readied vital papers and passes that needed important signatures. The goods and resources and even the human factor were not a problem---no, since the Freedom Act, men were free to go and travel wherever their means could take them. They could bring along the food and seed and natural resources, man-made computer networks, system and hardward, building supplies and tools. Everything a starter colony would require was permitted, as long as the people remained bound to certain laws of humanity. Nothing tyrannical, just simple, basic laws humankind needed to stay civil with one another. And one of those few laws upheld and sanctioned by the majority of political men and woman today was this: **

**The shipment of high explosives in excess of minimal under the law must be authorized and subsequently monitored by a ranking official of the government.**

**And the explosive count for the planned clearing-out of the underground traverse network of the new colony Noin and Zechs were planning required far more than the "excess of minimal" required.**

**"So, as a member in high-standing with the Senate, who has gone far above and beyond her call of duty when it comes to supporting the financial end of social and political occasions and of course, the campaign funds," Dorothy's high brows raise, insinuating that power and prestige still did have more than a bit of influence here and there. "I have come here to inspect your offerings and deem whether or not it's worthy enough to be a sanctioned transport--that is to say, bluntly, my end of the deal." Dorothy had an eloquent way of speaking that enthralled her audiences, making her newly found Senate career a successful one for this aristocratic daughter, much as other members of her elite family seemed to have had a certain power over the people.**

**"And our end of the deal, so to say, is...?" Rasid picks up for where poor, speechless Quatre could find no sound left to come from his timid voice box, even though Miss Catalonia's dealings were meant to be with the young Master and not the mere servant. Rasid, a good and loyal friend kept his "place" in gratitude and loyalty, but he felt that his "noblewoman" truly considered him an underling, beneath her class. She so much differed from his Master with a heart of gold to both servants and noblemen alike. Quatre always treated Rasid as an equal, with respect, and for that Rasid would always swear his own undying loyalty and respect for his dear Master.**

**"Your end of the deal?" Catalonia didn't even turn to look Rasid in the eye. She addressed only Quatre it seemed. Rasid was just a bothersome cog in the wheel she was spinning. "Oh, silly me? Hee hee hee..Didn't I tell you yet?" The grating, fake little giggle was the worst thing yet. Rasid tried to close his eardrums when he looks at his Master, trying to sense if he wanted the burly man to physically extricate the annoying creature from the room yet---only to find for once, Quatre's eyes not forthcoming. He seemed too timid to even raise them a bit higher than the floor panels they had remained fixed upon from the moment she came in.**

**"It's simple, really." Dorothy chuckles, finally at long last letting go of Quatre's collar. **_**It did feel nice, though a bit damp with perspiration, poor boy. I do have that effect on men...**_

**Combing the three tiny strands of loose hair on her forehead, she turns to perch on the desk again. "I look these plans over, examine the supply and explosive list carefully for the transport thoroughly. And all you have to do--one teeny, tiny little thing really is--"**

**Rasid grits his teeth, waiting for this grating-voiced woman to just spit out what she wanted and be done with it, to leave him and his poor Master alone on this supposedly happy day.**

**"---accompany me to the Peace Accords Ceremony today, as my escort." Dorothy smiles that evil grin, waving a flourishing hand up in the air.**

**Bomb dropped. **

**"Really, Miss Catalonia, this is an outrageous----" Rasid starts, instinctively shunning away the social aspect the woman seemed to be proposing. Many a gold-digging female had come his Master Quatre's way, but never made it past Rasid's watchful eye. But none--ever--could compare to the audacity of the scornful, evil one today.**

**"No, Rasid, no, i-it's fine." Suddenly a small voice trembles out of the silent boy's mouth. The look in his eye was something a shocked Rasid couldn't quite explain at the moment. It was the only thing making him stop from throwing the unpleasant creature out bodily, with a heartily certain "BE GONE!"**

**"Yes, uh, ahem. Yes, Miss Dorothy." Quatre catches his cracking voice, putting on a brave face and a business-like air. "Yes, we accept your terms. I would be more than glad to escort you to the Peace Accords today." He nods in assurance as if consigning himself to an unknown fate. **

**"Somehow, I knew you couldn't refuse, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy suddenly whips out from beneath her business suit jacket and ruffled scarf tie a stack of papers, an inch thick and each and every one beginning with the Winner Foundation's crest and X-19444 Colony construction plan title, and ending with her signature.**

**Waving the stack in Quatre's face, she links her arm in his, dragging him forward with a victorious grin on her face.**

**"Here you are. Look over them carefully for errors." A high faluting air on her every feature, Dorothy slaps the papers flatly in Rasid's hands, though he was about to dissent to this arrangement.**

**She leads the poor young Master out of the office door, his eyes wide, looking much like the proverbial lamb being led to the slaughter.**

**"Ta ta, Ramid!" Dorothy makes a jab at the man and as she slams the door behind them, the tiny buildings and little skyscrapers, so well-cared for by the Winner heir on the model on the floor come crashing down to rubble.**

**"Oh, well. We accomplished our goals anyway, Master." Rasid glances down at the pile of documents in his big hands. Although their mission on behalf of honorable Miss Noin and her endeavor on a new colony was a success---Rasid somehow finds himself regretting this turn of events. For down on the bottom of each and every vital piece of paper in his hand was the flourishing, victorious signature of:**

**Dorothy Catalonia, R.D.I**

**Rasid had to suppress the urge to throw the entire stack into the eager paper shredder on the desk.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Reunions **

**The midsummer day bloomed beautifully on this world's sparkling shores as a certain young woman with old eyes lets her harried mind wander from the niceties and formalities, from the bureaucracy of endless talks and meetings she has endured the past month through--all in the name of peace.**

**Peace for Outer Space.**

**Peace for the Colonies.**

**Peace for the Earth.**

**Peace for every nation.**

**Peace for YOUR nation.**

**That still young face with an old soul gazes over the bluer than blue river that separated the modern world of the present--a bustling city full of automotives, lights, sounds--where busy city dwellers of the capital of this expansive country transported to and fro from the pristine countryside on this rural, unpaved path.**

**Surrounded by nature, untouched wildlife, greenery and beauty was aglow from where the banks of the Volga met the lake. It stretched miles and miles on the outskirts of old St. Petersburg, to that place of her destination.**

**A stately falcon lets its wingtips thrash against the lake's still surface causing one ripple then another and another...until the endless ripples reached the rustic road.**

**Eyes that have seen so much destruction and pain, so much good and evil alike. Eyes that have survived through the torture and the agony of the death of someone so precious to her entire world, her entire universe. Every inch of the man he was rippled back in waves through her soul with each and every breath, just as the water moves in perfect harmony with the nature about it.**

**His presence existed still in her being. No matter how many months, nor years, nor lifetime passed her by. Her love for him was unchanging, no matter the time, no matter that he was no longer physically present beside her in this world. Theirs was a love that would never die. Theirs a love that was eternally so true and even though he was not here she loved him as much today as she did when she first set eyes on the noble man who had rescued her from brutality. He had been that knight in shining armor for a lady who believed all gentlemen gone from a hateful world. He had drawn his sword for her heroically, nobly, and from that day onward she had pledged to do anything for him, in return for his gentleness, his devotion, his beauty and above all--his love. Even if it meant to die by the sword for him. But that was not meant to be. The ugliness of this world had tried to change the man of honor he was. It had attempted to mar his beauty and purity. But the purity of certain other individuals were able to do what she had not---to give him the strength to believe in the goodness of mankind again. To believe in the unselfish path for humans he once so devoutly treasured. And that conviction and selflessness, and those boys' purity was what had led to his demise.**

**He had believed his time was over. He had believed the curtain had to close on his final act, so those rebellious warriors with the wild wings and pure hearts could now take the center stage, that true peace could only be found this way, without him...**

_**But what of me, Mr. Treize? What peace is there in me without you? My life I lived for you. **_

**A woman found herself that in the flash of a moment's battle one can become an empty shell of a human being--with no longer a heart beating within her soul--in the moment he had left her universe.**

_**But no, you have not abandoned me, Mr. Treize. You are here within me still.**_

**She holds her hand to the heart that now beat so methodically, so sanely in control of her mind now. All the uncertainties that had caused her past to be split into several pieces within herself had vanished. There were no more uncertainties, only complete understanding. There were no more scattered pieces of an angry soul--only peace. There were no more doubts--only love.**

_**You have not abandoned me Your Excellency.**_

**The Lady known as Une addresses the man she adores to this day with the title she held him in, be forever her Prince, her brave knight in shining armor. **

_**Indeed, you are with me still. Watching over me with this gift...**_

**Lady Une's nostalgic eyes return to the present. She looks across to where a young girl sat. A young girl who reminded her so much of him in everything she did and said. Her short-cropped red-orange hair caught fire in the sunlight, glistening as she held her head out the window of the horse-drawn carriage. The fresh breeze on her pale face, her features the presence of such pure enjoyment, she, since the brainwashing she once was put under all her young life, was now slowly coming out of her shell. Each day, Lady Une could see improvement in her adjustment to new surroundings and she gave her the room to breathe, to find herself without influences anymore. She gave her freedom more than a normal mothe----**

_**But I am not her mother...**_

**Lady Une had to constantly remind her heart of this. She so wished this lovely child could really be her own. But Mariemaia Barton was not her flesh and blood. But Mariemaia Khushrenada was HIS. And so Mariemaia was part of her now, as well, because Lady Une's soul would always belong to him. Love has a way of doing that to true believers.**

_**I am not so fortunate to be called your mother, but you--you child--are my daughter and I will protect you as I did your father--with my life. Because we are both a part of him. And he lives in us both still.**_

**"There, Lady! Do you see it! Is that it!" Mariemaia's excited voice fills the air inside the carriage. She, a usually sedate child, was so brimming over in anticipation that she was nearly jumping up and down.**

**"Yes." Lady Une's eyes travel far in the distant, across the tree-covered countryside to where a tall peak of a structure stands out. They turn a bend in the bumpy road and there, in the distance, a magnificent castle stands on the hillside, resplendent as the sunlight shone brilliantly on it's golden beauty.**

**"Yes, Mariemaia, there it is." Lady Une's calm mind blames the bumpy road for the sudden skipping of her heart at the sight of her Master Treize's glorious castle on the horizon.**

**A Colony or 3 away...**

**"Hey there, good-lookin'!" A virile young man leans over, covering the eyes of a beautiful young woman in the shuttle bay air center she was quietly awaiting her ride at.**

**Had this amorous laced, oh-so-obvious pickup line been spoken by any voice other than the gravelly, low-class, well, "hick" one and the rough hands around her face, any gentler and suaver as that of a ladies man, Cathrine Bloom may have been taken aback, panicked.**

**---And then pull out a half dozen trusty knives that always went where she went. And if spilt blood wasn't necessary, she at least had the threat to scare off even the most foolhardy of the male species who dared come near her.**

**"Wanna go for a ride with me, baby?" The undeterred man continues to flirt, however, perhaps that "most foolhardy male" was an understatement for one Duo Maxwell--and has always been. He leans over the airport seats and breathes this "invitation" on Cathrine's curled bobs of hair.**

**"Okay, Mister. I'm no stranger to men like you--only one thing on your mind. I count to three and you're out of my hair or else..."**

**"One..."**

**"Two..."**

**"Three..."**

**Cathrine had had enough of this game. **

**CHIK.**

**As if by magic, a thin bladed knife comes slipping out of the long-sleeved tight shirt Cathrine was sporting (very nicely too, Duo can't help but consider her shape with approving eyes.) The concealed knife was at her "attacker's" throat before he could say another smart word (and that was usually lightning speed).**

**"Gee--gee--geez! Cathy!" Now it was Duo's turn to be taken aback by this lovely young thing's sharp bladed knife.**

**"Go for it, Cathrine. Maybe he won't talk too much anymore. I'm sure he deserves it." An uncharitable voice at his obvious plight, though she didn't witness at all, busy checking their luggage in. Hilde snorts at her best friend's failed tactics with a satisfied grin. She places her hands on her annoyed hips.**

**"Oh, does he?" Cathrine's eyes light up at this civil unrest between the two cohabitants. Playful Cathrine in a rather giddy mood today slides the blade even a tiny bit closer to her target's neck, tightening the capturing arm around Maxwell's stiffened back.**

**"Hey!" Duo's usual tough guy voice squeaks almost inaudibly as he looks frantically back and forth between the two women who seem to have it in for him today. **

_**I didn't do anything. Gulp...**_

**"Hildey.." He squeaks out the plea. "Make her stop." He sounded strangely like that seven year old she had met once upon a time.**

_**All right, I wanna play too. **_**"Here, Cathrine, give the knife to me." Hilde smiles at her new friend. They met once before and she liked this knife-throwing girl's style.**

**"Whew." Duo gives out a little sigh of relief as the threatening knife changes hands. "Thanks, Hildey baby." His tough guy voice was starting to come back as his happy-go-lucky eyes look to Cathrine. "Pah! Not that I was worried or anything of such a good lookin' babe like you, Cathy. A good lookin' babe like you wouldn't have the guts to slit man's throat." He chuckles overconfidently.**

_**You couldn't help it, Maxwell, could you? You couldn't help but gloat and laugh as you always do.**_

**Hilde's eyes narrow, the knife in her rescuing hand suddenly on the attack again. "Maybe not a man's throat." Hilde, from living with Duo over a year or so now, was a little more blunt and bold than she once was with men---boys--**_**aw, heck, I always was!**_

**She smirks as the knife that was at Duo's throat aims down, decidedly lower.**

**"Hildey!" Duo squeals in horror at his best friend's new attack. Looking scared into her devilishly possessed eyes in his.**

**"Okay, Maxwell, let's lay down the law for once." Hilde starts suddenly, feeling power over her male companion. "No goofing off while you're working. No messing up my kitchen--or the living room or the bathroom."**

**"Don't forget he has to clean his own bedroom too. I'm sure it's a sight." Cathrine can't help but add, with a small giggle, to the endless list of Duo's wrongs.**

**"Right! Clean your bedroom." Hilde adds a bit too happily. "Wash the dishes and the floor three days of the week. And...do the outside windows."  
"Make sure he does some cooking!" Cathy seemed to be finding joy now in Hilde's war on her housemate/best friend.**

**"Oh, I don't know about that. I don't trust his cooking. Besides, he'd eat it all before it even gets to the table." Hilde smirks in his face. "Half the laundry!" Hilde suddenly remembers. "And no perusing through mine, Mister. And...and...let me see..umm. No CD player, TV or video game until you finish every day's schedule that I set up for you. And..." Hilde starts to rattle off her complaints of living with this partner.**

**"AHHHHHHH! Help!" Duo just couldn't take any more of his do's and don'ts list, or the maliciously giggling pair of girls tormenting him. His big mouth finally lets loose, screaming at the top of his lungs.**

**Not able to take "the mouth" at such close range, Hilde and Cathrine's knife back off. They hold their ears at the unbearable noise, unaware the threat was gone. Duo, in frustration continues to bellow for help, though no one in the space port terminal seemed to be noticing his pleas.**

**"Are you ladies having a problem with this gentleman?" An extremely, official sounding voice breaks into the bellowing male banshee's cries from behind.**

**"Yes, sir, Officer, sir." Hilde puts on a stern, all business face, giving the Officer behind Duo her full attention (and behind her back, expertly shifting the knife in her hand back to Cathrine's who in turn, well adept with blade handling without looking, conceals it back into her handbag).**

**"You see Officer, I was just coming to collect my friend here with tickets," Hilde puts an arm around Cathrine's shoulder (though never breaking eye contact with Duo in a kind of dare), "when I saw this miscreant attempting to---"**

**"Miscreant! Hildey, baby!" Duo, keeping the eyelock with this zonked out girl of his is shocked by her sellout to the authorities. His mouth drops a mile and he grabs hold of her shirt front, shaking her a bit.**

**"Hands off the lady, Mister." Duo feels a pair of strong hands pulling him back, restraining his shoulders. **

**Awestruck by this strange turn of events, Duo gapes openmouthed as the femme fatales before him go back to their far out story.**

**"Well, as I was saying, Officer, this miscreant," Hilde rubs the word in Duo's faces, stretching it out with a wicked grin, "leaned over my dear friend's seat where she was innocently awaiting my return, I might mention, and he attacked her---without any provocation whatsoever." Hilde spills the lawyer talk with a decided nod.**

**"Attacked!" Duo's face pops out. "You were the ones!" He starts to sputter his defense.**

**"Is this all true, Miss?" The steady voice from behind directs the question at Cathrine, ignoring Duo entirely.**

**Duo, seeing his case hopeless now, falls to the ground on his knees.**

**"Wee---lll..." Cathrine looks from Hilde's prodding smile, to Duo on the floor. His head was buried in an expecting to be convicted slump---with his hands in an almost prayerful pose, awaiting her evidence...**

**Her violet eyes meet the Officer's with no fear, just a twinge of a smile. "No, none of it is true at all. We were all just teasing, weren't we, Duo? You really are a gentleman, aren't you?" Cathrine, in Duo's wronged eyes, suddenly took the shape of an angel. Her white feathered wings were pure, the golden thread of truth encircled her lovely head in a halo.**

**Duo, still on his knees, scoots across the ground, taking hold of Cathrine's generously offered hand, kissing it. Then, in glee and relief, gives his benefactress a hug around her shapely legs.**

**"Ohh!" Cathrine doesn't know whether to gasp or giggle. The adoring puppy dog eyes poor Duo was giving her caused her to wonder. So when she wonders she does as she always does nowadays. She looks up to the eyes where she can see the beautiful soul of the magnificent man she considered her brother.**

**"Trowa?" She whispers out to the "officer", turning to him with the new problem of the overjoyed boy grasping at her legs.**

**"Are you or are you not a gentleman, Duo Maxwell?" With amused eyes, Trowa Barton stoops down to Duo's low level, raising an eyebrow at one of his best friends embracing HIS Cathrine's legs so tenderly.**

**"Trowa?" Opening his tightly shut eyes, it finally sinks into Duo's thick skull--that all this was some dirty trick played on him by those pair of females, he used to think were his friends. And the Officer they kept holding over him was nothing more than a clown.**

_**Aww, heck!**_

**In a sudden burst of energy all other thought and emotion of just a minute or two ago were gone with the wind. Duo Maxwell does what he does best--forget about it and jump headfirst ahead.**

**He turns on his heels, letting a wobbling Cathrine go (with such zest she if not for years of balance on tightropes, would have been sent flat on her cute backside) and bounds up. Not a care or worry on his mind, not now that an old buddy was here to chew the cud with.**

_**Not that old Trowa was ever much for small talk and reminiscing...**_

**Duo's mind comments with a smirk to himself as he looks down at Trowa, still kneeling at where he was being comforted by Cathrine not five seconds ago.**

**"It is you, Trowa!" Duo was shocked. He didn't recognize earlier his friend's voice (**_**Of course, I was busy dealing with those deceitful women)**_**. Duo can't help but slide one last gripe at them in his head.**

**"Yes, Duo, you're right. It's me." The warm hearted young man known as Trowa can't help but smile at Duo Maxwell's sporadic ways. **_**I will forgive his touching Cathy. Sometimes his brain just isn't quite all there.**_

**Trowa finishes his forgiving thought as he stands up from a kneeling position and Duo's eyes follow him as he comes up..and up...and up...**

**Duo lets out a low whistle, his eyes growing even wider. "Whew! Someone's sure not vertically challenged!" In true Maxwell wit, Duo, never at a loss for words, smirks and comments on the towering man standing before him.**

**"Uhh, oh, well..." Trowa on the other hand, never had the power of spontaneous words for every occasion that his braided friend wielded. A rescuing hand takes over here for her circus partner's lack of verbal speech.**

**"Trowa is 6' 2" and still growing." Cathrine seems to claim with more than a fair share of feminine pride at her partner's tall and handsome perfect build. She places a hand up on his high shoulder.**

**"Tell me about it, whoa." Duo lets out another low whistle. The last time he and...**

**...a certain other person present here (**_**hmph! I'm not gonna let that performance you did before just go, Ms. Schbeiker.) **_**saw Trowa at the circus. **_**That was only a few weeks--maybe a few months---was it that long ago? No way! He was about the same size as always! Nothin' like this!**_

**"What are you complaining about, Duo Maxwell? You're not doing so bad in the growth spurt department yourself." Hilde, kept silent all the way up to this point, jabs Duo's familiarly in the ribs, figuring before all was forgotten by now in this new height development question.**

_**Maybe we can still go on this vacation without any bad blood or arguments. **_

**No luck.**

**"Unlike your cute little self, Short Stuff." Duo places a fatherly hand upon Hilde's head--the head that visible steam starts to stream from.**

**"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Hilde's shout might be even a pinch louder than Duo's bellowing before.**

**"I said--" Duo starts to back away from where volcano Hilde was about to implode.**

**"--I said, CUTE AND SHORT!" With that devilish grin and gleeful laughter Duo grabs the tickets for the two of them (conveniently held out in Hilde's hand) and bolts through the airport. He crashes into every single passerby along the way, leaping over suitcases and airport security guards, trying to catch the wild boy who seemed to control the devil himself.**

**The only one who was frightening to this particular devil right now was a smallish young girl with black-blue hair. Her entire (very cute and very short) 5' frame plunged in after the "miscreant" who had offended her. Angry as she was cute, she screamed for her "ex-friend" to come back and apologize at the top of her little lungs. Both of them knocked people and things out of their way as they ran.**

**The footrace only lasts until the final security checkout in the long line of travelers unwilling to budge an inch from their long-waited for spot on the queue. With Hilde hot on his trail, a frantic Duo has no way out, no escape, no----**

**"Oh yeah!" **

**LEAP**

**Hilde, just getting to where Duo was standing, trapped by human bodies all around, watches angrily as her target makes a dash and leaps straight up and onto the conveyor belt going right into the shuttle's baggage loading department on the plane.**

**"See ya later, Shorty!" Duo can't help but gloat at his triumph over his sparring partner once again. He blows her a fake kiss as he's carried up farther up and away where Hilde Schbeiker could not catch him. She watched helplessly from below. Duo was sure that her lips moving weren't just uttering a fond farewell to him, from the look on her fit-to-be-tied face and her fist shaking at him over her head.**

**"Ha ha! Fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me! See ya, Hildey, baby!" Victorious, his arms, hands and braid all wave at her triumphant and mischievously. Duo's smug face was enough to make Hilde sick as she lets out a few choice words, loud enough for him to hear. (Also, some shocked old ladies nearby were shocked at the sweet young girl's mouth).**

**"Bye! Whoa...ahhhhhhhhhh!" Duo's gloat was cut off by his taken off guard cry as he descends backwards into a loading chute moved along by air pressure.**

**Hilde flies to the window, watching Duo's feet disappear as the conveyor shoots it's air missiles through a clear, see through tunnel and dumps the luggage onto a compartment on the ship. There goes a black clad and brown braided missile. His arms and legs were flailing and certainly the mouth was going as he whooshes in and...**

**PLOP!**

**Hilde can't suppress the giggle any longer. Danger past, she sees Duo get deposited and sealed up in the finished loading luggage compartment on the shuttle. He shook himself off, trying to escape was the last thing she sees as the shuttle bay door closes him off inside.**

**"Good. Serves you right for calling me short...and cute." Hilde wipes her hands of Duo as Trowa and Cathrine join her with puzzled amusement.**

**Looking to one another, concerned about their friends' trouble getting along with each other at times.**

**"Shall we go, you two?" Hilde puts the mischievous smile back on her face, just thinking of no doubt all the lovely luggage companions Duo was currently holding company with.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Long Journey Ahead**

**Another erstwhile passenger whose only company was her own luggage (**_**Other than you, of course, my dear Pagan), **_**Relena Darlian's eyes smile at the white-haired elderly man who was her family's lifelong chauffeur/butler/manservant/any-other-household-duty/Relena's babysitter/escort/chaperone, and most of all--her loyal friend.**

_**Oh, Pagan what would I ever do without you?**_** Relena's blue eyes crinkle in a smile at her continual companion's presence at her side wherever the road may take her. And it has taken her on quite a long and tumultuous journey. Since the days she was the tiny little princess of the noble, loyal house of Peacecraft, she'd look up at her father's faithful servant with wonderment in those gigantic baby blue eyes.**

_**Yes, a long journey indeed.**_

**Each time Pagan gazed into his rear-view mirror back into her youthful eyes that were now wizened with the times, he couldn't help but feel proud. The pride that his beloved Master, King Peacecraft, could not have wished for an heir of his bloodline to achieve the respect and unity of the kingdom's, no, of the people of the world, as this young woman has already accomplished in the past few years she has come to have been recognized on the world scene. She had made her mark as a Peacecraft pacifist with the high ideals of peace riding on this Princess's noble brow and outstretched hand.**

**Now reborn, so to say, yet again, as the Darlian Minister who has come to the conclusion that peace could not possibly be brought about by the hopes of a single individual. Instead, it was by every single person's individual hope for peace.**

_**Peace is something that cannot be given to you. There are times one must make a stand for peace if we are ever to obtain it. Even if it means we have to fight for our right to live in this world in peace. Then, so be it.**_

**Relena's serious eyes open from her inner thoughts with a tinge of astonishment.**

_**I used to believe, not so long ago, in total pacifism, didn't I? What has changed in me? **_**Relena gazes at her own reflection in the pink Cadillac's glass window. She cocks her head at the changed self she saw behind her eyes.**

_**I suppose, on that day...in that moment, I realized that total pacifism was nothing more than an innocent girl's dream that I believed in. '**_

_**I don't have to anymore'**_

**In her mind's eye, Relena hears HIS voice echoing from the past to her own thoughts of today. Or was she echoing his? She remembers her own words that day, so clearly, as if the whole scene of that New Year's Eve was being replayed in her head. **

_**'I've been running...I've been running from the truth.'**_

_**Yes, Heero. I was running then. My ideal world of total pacifism was where I ran to when things got tough. But not anymore. If things get tough again, I'll be tough too. I'll be strong enough to make sure that next time, true peace--not just talk--is here and here to stay. Just as I will be too, through thick and thin. I'm not running, anymore, Heero. Never again. My journey has found its true course. I'm not ever gonna run again.**_

**Relena's thoughts conclude just as the automobile stops. As if on cue, Pagan exits the car and opens the door for her at the newly built convention center for the incoming dignitaries attending the Accords.**

**"Foreign Minister Darlian!"**

**"Foreign Minister!"**

**"Ms. Darlian!"**

**A blinding flash of lightbulbs, a sea of microphones being shoved in her face, as the gaggle of reporters and photographers crowd about the most awaited diplomat's car. All were anxious for a cover story on this particular event.**

**After all, the nations of the world were sending each leader and representative of their respective country to join in unity and pledge their each individually ruled nation's support for the continued peace in the coming era.**

**Accords had been signed, nation by nation before, but never this many, nor to this degree. For beyond the countless countries, representatives, rulers and senators gracing the ceremony, it was also to be attended by the leaders of each space Colony. To join each as a nation, recognized just as any other country of the each, with the same rights and respect as such. This was to be a triumph for the Colonies. The population of each wanted nothing more than to be seen as connected to the Earth they originated from yet still properly recognized as the individual nations they had become. They were focused on good relations to the Earth, each other and above all--Peace.**

_**Yes, Peace. **_

**Foreign Minister Darlian takes a deep breath, sticking to her resolve and puts on her best face to the crowd of media as she takes questions and then welcomes the foreign diplomats arriving from both Earth and Space to this historical event.**

_**See? I'm not running, Heero. **_

**She smiles, as she steps out of her limo. **

_**How about you?**_

**Her mind allows one tiny second to wander to the depths of space, wondering of him and where he was now.**

**"Ladies and Gentlemen. When mankind first looked up to the Earth's sky to the stars, he no doubt dreamt of one day traveling amongst them, of seeking out freedom beyond his own atmosphere's limits, of reaching out to new frontiers--yet holding this world's hand out still in a beautiful friendship to those adventurous humans who have faced the unknown--to pioneer a path into the future. Earth's path into space--it is the same sky we're looking at. The same stars twinkling as if they were smiling each night to us in welcome. A beautiful greeting in each new sky. A beautiful promise and a beautiful light.**

**"Have you looked up to the starry night sky lately? The stars were glimmering at you on Earth are the sames ones glimmering at me on my Colony--on my home. It doesn't matter whether my home is two blocks down this beautiful city's streets or if it is thousands of miles above from where we sit now. We are all brothers and sisters in humanity. No matter where we live. We all originated from this green planet of life, we are the same. **

**"And so, we here, on behalf of the Colonies of Outer Space, are gratefully accepting the Peace Accords the learned committee of representatives gathered here have presented to the Colonies. We truly believe that each Colony, being individually recognized as a nation will bring forth a beautiful future's path to a lasting peace. Thank you, fellow citizens of the Unified World. Thank you."**

**CLAP CLAP...CLAP...**

**She raises one eyebrow along with an amused grin. The sparse applause (along with that piercing look down upon him although he was the one standing and she sitting) causes Quatre to shrink back from his "audience's" disconcerting eye lock with him.**

**After representing Colony L4's interests on many a political and social occasion, after making countless speeches to crowds of hundreds, televised and watched by millions, Quatre finds his single audience of one, one that he could not face.**

**He fidgets and loses eye contact, and for some reason, all composure with this particular "audience."**

**This audience of one mere woman.**

**No, scratch that---one CERTAIN woman.**

**GULP.**

**"Was it...gulp...all right? Gulp...ummm...Miss...Dorothy...?"**

**Quatre finally manages to find his voice box (a small, squeaky version of it anyway).**

**"Hmmmm." Comes her simple reply. Dorothy Catalonia alights from her perch in the windowbox where she had sat listening (almost nonchalantly as she checked her freshly manicured fingernails all the while) to the speech that Quatre had prepared for this afternoon's summit.**

**From the moment the pair had arrived at the convention center in Dorothy's gold plated limousine, she had deftly whisked herself and her noted companion past the sea of reporters. All sniffed a gossip-column romance, but changed their minds at one frighted, feeble look on ladies man Quatre Winner's white-as-a-ghost face to Senator Catalonia's overpowering, evil glare at any photographer who dared snapshot her bad side--not that she had one. So none but one stiff-hearted rebel reporter had the nerve to ask the Senator who her "date" was. He got the evil eye from beneath those well-groomed brows that would turn Medusa herself into stone. However, Quatre himself received a similar death glare for his weak kindness when he smiled kindly at the newshound.**

**And consequently, not knowing what had happened after that, his blood frozen in his veins, he was sure he was about to faint.**

_**But...she might not like that either in front of all these photographers. It might embarrass her, so...**_

**Stiff upper lip and next thing he knows, Quatre was spirited away to a cozy office. He had followed Dorothy like the little lost puppy he was.**

**Once in, he was seated in a chair and seconds before he had a chance to catch his breath, was TOLD to practice his speech in front of her.**

**"TOLD" to, as in "ordered". Not asked, nor requested kindly. Simply ordered.**

**Kind? That was not a word in Dorothy's vocabulary. So, stalking stealthily around the room, she seemed a vicious cat circling her prey. **

**Quatre sits perfectly still, his hands together on his lap. But he couldn't feel them. In fact, Quatre was sure that he couldn't feel anything down from his chest to his stone-cold feet--a sort of strange paralyzation had come over him.**

**"Yes, well..." Dorothy finally lets a word out. She was now hovering directly over where Quatre was sitting. His speech paper was beginning to quiver in his hands as she circles.**

**RRIIPPPP**

**The paper is seized and with a deft pen, golden tipped of course, "magically" appearing in her hand, Dorothy takes his speech paper and begins scribbling all over it.**

**Gulp, gulp, gulp.**

**In a flash of a second, before Quatre knew what was happening, it was back in his trembling hands. **

**"Just a few minor, very minor, changes." She smirks, going to the door upon a glance at the clock on the wall. "Shall we go?"**

**Without waiting, she leaves the room. Quatre scrambles to his feet to follow her. His eyes glance down to the speech as he runs to catch up. To his utter surprise, everything was left the same except wherever the word "beautiful" once was, it was crossed out and filled in over each, in perfect angular and elegant handwriting, the term "golden." **

_**'A golden future of Peace.' Yes, I agree.**_

**Quatre smiles, his first true soft smile of the day at the golden blonde hair streaming in the lead before him, just like sunshine.**

_**Just like sunshine...**_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Public Relations**

"Ohhh, uhhhh, ahhhhh." A dreadful wailing breaks into the hearing of a man listening, freezing his blood.

"Huh? What? Who--who's in there?" Fred, the portside baggage unloader, in all of his sixty years with the company, loading and rechecking the luggage compartment of more passenger aircraft than the number of his 72 years quadrupled, had never once upon opeing the compartment of the 1149 passenger shuttle been greeted with such a startling sight.

Almost by clockwork now, he checked for clearance, unhitched the hangar doorway with his executive passkey code, scanned the already x-rayed luggage once more for any dangerous devices or weapons. Then, before setting up the air jet system that would send the parcels safely and easily to the platform awaiting inside, "Old Reliable" Fred would stealthily enter the pitch black darkness of the shuttle's compartment the moment after it's been x-rayed and just stand there amidst the luggage in silence, listening.

Listening for any sounds that were foreign...

The attendant watches in horror as a black shadow, heretofore lying motionless, slowly, suddenly begins to rise, eerily waving it's shadowy arms, as a cloak of ebony devil wings spring out, flapping about the demon's monstrous height. He watches the groaning, wailing creature's icy gaze pierce right through the darkness. And this attendant wishes he had cashed in his retirement plan right about now, the devil demon descends upon him, evil wings spread and soar right towards him as the screeching bat's horrible screams grow louder and louder...

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" A screeching echoes through the spacious compartment as the creature's graceful killing dive upon its prey all of a sudden begins to go wrong.

SLIP! CRASH! SMASH! YELP! CRUNCH!

And down, down, down, several flights, the devil comes tumbling, until with a breath taking final finish, lands with a thunderous crash impact, in one big huge heap amongst so much luggage and baggage, that the attendant has to do a double take.

"What the---?" Fred looks down in disbelief. For lying in the rubble was not a beast, devil, nor creature at all---just a young boy with brown hair dangling down in an askew braid. He was wearing an all-black outfit---along with two or three purple sheets twisted around his arms and legs. Those "wings" the cause of his blunderous fall.

"Are you all right, boy? Wake up! Wake up!" Dragging the downed "demon" out into the fresh air and sunshine, a few not-so-gentle slaps and the boy blinks. The glare of the sun in his eyes blinded him after all the hours spent in the pitch black darkness.

"Hey, there, Big Blue. For a second there, I thought I'd never see you again, old buddy!" Before there's consciousness, with Duo Maxwell, there's the mouth.

Concerned for the boy's well being after such a fall, Fred was glad to hear him speak--even if just to the sky.

"That was quite a fall, boy! What in tarnation were you doing up there anyway, screaming like a banshee in the dark? How'd you get up there in the first place, little buddy?" Concern and kindness had already wiped away any anger or suspicion. Besides, that big silly grin on the boy's face was enough to make anyone with a good heart want to smile along with him.

Fred helped Duo to his feet.

_Amazing...not a scratch on the fella._

And Duo begins to explain. "Well, you see, it's a long story, but to make it short..." Duo says, patting the bench for the man to sit next to him, like they'd been friends for a long time. "We were going on this trip, see? To some boring old peace summit thingy. Me and a couple friends, that is." Duo takes a breath, his brows furrow as if trying to recall, with great difficulty it seemed, what exactly had happened next.

"Oh! And my girl, Hildey? She starts picking on me! For no good reason whatsoever. I didn't do nothing wrong! And she starts chasing me through the airport, screaming she's gonna get me. And next thing I know, I was scooped up by some conveyor I must've accidentally leaned on or something. And---whoosh! Here I was. Unconscious, on my backside in this black refrigerator, without heat, or light, or anything to eat! While my cute little firebrand of a girlfriend is on the shuttle's first-class deck, no doubt, being wined and dined by my supposed friend, who's quite a ladie's man. I mean, this was supposed to be OUR vacation trip together! And just look how she's left me, high and dry! I mean, what did I ever do to deserve this--I ask you! Nobody cares. Here, pass me that cookie tin. I'm starving!"

"DUO MAXWELL!" A voice rings out through the airport's runway. The cookie tin saved as Duo's hungry fingers were just about to grab and devour it.

"Your girl?" Fred murmurs to Duo suddenly, who was wearing an over beaming grin like a cheshire cat who ate the canary.

"My one and only." Duo just manages to murmur back.  
"Cute." Fred gives an approving word, not knowing it was the wrong one that had just happened to start the whole wild fiasco of today.

Hilde walks up, giving them both a sideways glance. "So here you are at last, Duo. I'm glad to see you're still in one piece at least. There is nobody, absolutely nobody in the entire universe who can totally screw up a perfectly wonderful vacation to Earth like you can. If this is the way it's going to start, I don't think I want to stick around for the rest of your three-ring circus show. Pardon me, Cathrine, Trowa." Hilde Schbeiker was one of the few people who could match Duo Maxwell's unhinged in the middle tongue.

She glances at the couple who were kind enough to let her join them on the shuttle trip, considering her intended traveling companion was otherwise detained. She had several hours to store up her anger and frustration at him and now Hilde was ready to vent.

Hands on her hips, she was about to have another go at beating up Duo. "And now, you've no doubt been pestering this gentleman with your tales!"

Hilde turns to Fred. "Sir? Please forgive him. He has a brain deficiency---it's mostly empty." Hilde's sweetest smile to elderly Fred switches into a fanged glare at a chided Duo in one second flat. Fred can't help but laugh.

"You are right, Duo my boy. She is a cute little firebrand." He chuckles.

"Oooooh, don't." Duo's shaking head and signaling hands don't catch Fred in time.

"WHY WERE YOU TALKING TO HIM ABOUT ME, DUO MAXWELL!" She yanks Duo's stuttering collar forward, sticking her hands into his pants pocket and takes out the set of tickets he's had on him all this time.

Trowa had already paid for her new fare but Hilde was an honest businesswoman. So, no stowaway worker would be on her conscious as she sticks one ticket into Fred's surprised hand.

"Kindly turn in this boy's ticket at the front desk. Thank you. I wouldn't want him to be called a "stowaway" though there are a quite a few other things I would like to call him." Hilde grabs Duo by the ear, dragging him down the airport runway, disappearing into the building. The two were still angrily barking at one another as they go, the whole way.

"Hildey, I'm hungry!"  
"Shut up, Duo! You have to wait!"  
"But, Hildey, babe--"

Hilde tugs his braid in the distance.

"Are those two always like that to each other?" Fred muses to the otherwise silent pair watching their friends bicker in the distance.

"Oh, yes." Trowa nods up and down with that good-looking smile. Both Cathrine and he had seen this scene played over and over in the Schbeiker junkshop residence.

"Don't they make a lovely couple?" Cathy sighs, wishing (_oh, don't wish it! What am I thinking!_) as she blushes up at Trowa slightly, giving Fred a wink that Trowa doesn't see. Then she links arms with Trowa and follows where Duo and Hilde were noisily treading a path.

"Yup, I think that goes for y'all, too." Fred sighs at his adventurous afternoon, thanks to one wild boy and his cute little---

Fred stops his thought, looking around in guilt, making sure she wasn't around to hear. To him, living with her, now that was heroic.

"Ahh, kids these days." He smiles with a sigh.

The convention center was coming quite alive now with the many tours of representatives from the nations of the world crowding within. It made quite an anxious and bustling event. A large hall was now overflowing with peoples of all races and countries of the Earth, as well as more than a few from the Outer Space colonies.

Quatre R. Winner had taken the role elected to him by then---to be their chief spokesman and liasion to the Earth Sphere.

"Amazing, isn't it? The commanding effect a determined honest face and strong-willed smile can have on people. That---and those big baby blue eyes---behind which is hiding the brains of a genius with the heart of an angel. Yes, I suppose it's not that hard to believe."

Lucrezia Noin comments aloud, watching upon entering the crowded center the people flocking especially to one corner of the room, around one certain person.

"Sweet and strong-willed genius? An angel?" Zechs murmurs the question back questioningly to his wife. His view of the timid Winner boy across the room being hoarded like a trophy by one Dorothy Catalonia (_familiar old face_) bringing terms like "weak" and "sheepish" to mind, rather than strong-willed and determined. "Noin, the Winner heir isn't exactly my idea of commanding." Zechs finally says, his brow puzzled, noting how Dorothy's clenched claws were dug deep into Quatre's arm, as if she were afraid her prey might escape if she loosened her grip. But the smile pasted on her face was there none-the-less. (_Yes, I remember THAT as well. How annoying_.)

"Uh-oh, Noin. Looks like your Zechsie-pooh woke up on the jealous side of the shuttle today. I wouldn't ooze so much over our little Quatre if I were you."

_Oh no, more annoyance. _Zechs' steely eyes turn from eyeing Winner to meeting the laughing, half-insane eyes of Maxwell. _Oh, great. _Zechs' eyes roll to the ceiling.

"No, Duo, I don't think that's who Miss Noin was referring to in the first place." Trowa Barton's deep green eyes and soulful voice cut into this little misunderstanding with the intelligence of a wiseman. "Were you, Miss Noin?" Trowa's eyes almost smile at hers, knowingly stating more than questioning.

"Right again, as usual, Trowa Barton." Noin turns, smiling back with admiration at this boy's wisdom beyond his years. _Why can't all men have the intellect you do? _Noin silently smirks and sighs to herself, shaking her head at Duo in greeting and taking firm hold of her oblivious husband's square jawed chin, turning his blind, blond head in the opposite direction. (From where Dorothy was currently holding court. Her yellow haired male "slave" was ordered to bring her a glass of punch and had crawled away like a jellyfish more than a manful representative.)

And so Zechs' eyes travel the path his wife directs him to, focusing instead on someone indeed honest, determined, strong-willed and commanding. That someone with those big "baby blue" eyes that could entrance even him if he dared look long enough.

"Amazing, isn't she?" Noin repeats now with a certain pride for a cherished sister.

"Yes, she is that." Trowa answers the question Zechs left unspoken. His eyes were glued to the little sister who had gained his complete respect, along with millions of others, as the true heir to the Peacecraft name he finds himself to dirty to claim.

Applause begins to splutter, building as Relena Darlian finishes an impromptu conversation/speech with one curious delegate as to her views on interplanetary development.

"We all must strive to help in whatever small way we can. Those pioneering souls who have ventured before us to create homelands in the future for generations to come." Relena looks up, as her blue eyes catch sight of another's. She smiles politely to those still applauding around her and the prestigious Foreign Minister attempts to excuse herself from the press scene, but finds it impossible as a gaggle of reporters swarm in around her and her fellow delegates. Each one had his or her chance to verbally spar with the revered politician she had become.

Even as she is almost physically dragged away, amidst the crowd about her, Relena's eyes lock with Zechs' for a long moment. She wanted to say so much to the dear brother fate never allowed her time to be with it seemed. Dragged into the main hall of the convention center, Relena watches her brother's eyes growing farther and farther away. Just like in those countless dreams that haunted her nights sometimes, of the youthful brother leaving with their mother, outside the window, as she was left behind. All alone, safe inside from the big world he was going out into without her.

_I am not a slave to my fate. I am the master of it._

"Please, everyone!" Relena raises her usually soft-spoken voice an octave or two with that commanding presence that suddenly makes the whole crowd stop their corraling of her away.

All ears listen intently now. "Please." Relena smoothes her pony-tailed hair with calm. "Before we enter the meeting room, there are already two people here who are in the midst of forging ahead on the terraforming colony project I was speaking of. Pioneering souls who deserve our deepest pride and respect, for their spirit and courage on these oh-so-important roles in Outer Space's future. Both of them are wonderful and one of them is very very special to me. Please, with all the kindness you've shown me," Relena extends a hand out, along with one of her loveliest smiles, "--please give a warm welcome to my brother, Milliardo and his wife, Lucrezia, who are the founding terraformers of the New Colony XX006, and are, in my eyes, both courageous heroes."

Shocked, Zechs looks to Noin and then down. Their eyes lock again, Relena's were so full of warmth, kindness and love, the people around could almost touch it. The crowd separates making a path for the minister as she begins to stride towards where her astounded brother stood.

"Relena, you didn't have to---" Zechs' low voice doesn't rumble this time. Noin hears that soft, tender tone that was not so often heard. Even in this year of peace, these two Peacecraft children had not seen each other but once. With Relena the Foreign Minister, she was often busy and in demand, and Zechs felt that she was doing just find on her path without his presence. After all, he was a dead man, and better off that way.

"I didn't mean to come here so that you'd have to---" Zechs tries to explain his emotions--something he was never very good at, even as a child.

"I know I didn't HAVE to Milliardo, I wanted to." And with that smiling line, distinguished Miss Darlian becomes a little girl again for a moment, throwing her arms around the tall form of Zechs. "Dear brother..."

Relena hugs him lovingly, as if there were no one else there, just as she did to her big brother when they were tiny babes and she had not felt free to do since--up till now.

And Zechs surprises even himself as he hugs her back with all his heart.

SNAP! FLASH! SNAP!

Noin looks on at the pair, tears welling in her eyes. She had always wanted Zechs to come to terms with his past--his family, his life. And Relena's warmth was one more step up the long ladder back for him.

The audience seems to take Miss Relena's sincerity to heart, though some doubters wonder about her brother Milliardo's past. But most of them were ready to put the past in the past.

"That was a kodak moment if I've ever seen one." Hilde comes up, punh drink in hand, just in time to catch an about-to-abscond Duo by the scruff of his neck._ (Ewww! Mush!)_

"Yes, it was beautiful." Cathrine replies, accepting the glass Trowa offers her. Her own mind flashes back for moment. She wished her own brother had lived through the horrible war of her childhood that was now but a memory away. Nothing was more important than family. She looks up to Trowa. He seemed totally unaffected by the scene being played before him.

_Of course, my poor Trowa. You never had any family did you? Not to worry, little brother, I'm your family now...and forever._

Cathrine's thoughts cause her to unconsciously wriggle her slender palm into Trowa's unsuspecting one and squeeze it tightly.

Trowa looks down at the sudden squeeze and then up at Cathrine's face with a puzzled look. She blushes, pulling away.

"Well, wasn't that just touching?" A sarcastic, high-pitched voice comes up from behind them. Cathrine jumps back in guilt, Hilde feels her blood freezing, and Duo feels suddenly sick, as Noin rolls her eyes and Trowa---well, Trowa simply smiles politely at the newcomer.

"I love reunions, don't you, Quatre?" Dorothy, like black magic, appears beside the little group, and behind her long, flowing platinum blonde hair, a timid, little familiar face pops out.

"Yes, of course, Miss Dorothy. Oh, we'd better get going. The conference is about to---Oh, I mean, oh, whenever you're ready, Miss Dorothy." Quatre cowtows meekly. Everyone wasn't too sure of who was hanging on whose arm as the pair leaves for the conference hall. Quatre offhandedly waves a greeting to his friends as Dorothy possessively whisks him off.

Noin nods back as the rest of them just catch up to where Zechs and Relena too had been spirited away by reporters.

"Hey, hey!" Duo says all of a sudden as he follows Hilde, Trowa and Cathrine into the drones of crowds going towards the separate spectator's area seats. "Can't we skip this boring part? Hit the burger joints instead, huh?" Duo asks with a hopeful grin, sitting and listening to boring, old speeches was just not his cup of tea.

"Keep walking, Maxwell." Hilde wonders if that icy Dorothy Catalonia woman may have some magic spell over men that makes them do just as they are ordered to. "I sure could use some of THAT." She sighs as the large doors close behind the final crowd of audience stragglers streaming into the place where the Peace Conference would begin.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Preventative Measures**

Within the jam packed auditorium, one restless souls eyes the incoming crowd of delegates and onlookers with piercing glances up and down the room.

He scans his gaze over each person as they search for their designated seats. His suspicious, accusing glare falls upon each one of them, whether or not they knew it or liked it.

One minute, the respected representative of a foreign nation would be engaging another in pleasant conversation as he or she finds his seat. The next, he'd feel the piercing icy eyes looking him up and down as if he were no more than a wanted criminal--that or a rack of lamb hanging before its executioner.

After noting yet another governmental chief scurrying as far away as his short, little legs could take him in the crowd as he glances back at his "stalker's" unforgiving, accusational stare, Sally Po turns an angry eye upon the poor, innocent man's attacker.

"You're supposed to be monitoring the crowd, not scaring them to death." She breathes as she was trained, under her breath in low tones no one else should be able to hear, even though her face was still composed and smiling to any onlookers.

No reply.

Second try.

"Scan the crowd, yes. But we're supposed to be inconspicuous. That's why we're attired in civilian man-on-the-street wear." Sally looks down upon her own disguise, feeling a tad uneasy herself in the high-heeled pumps, pantyhose and short skirt. She was on the job now and would've felt far more comfortable in a pair of pants and workboots than in this get-up.

Rarely nowadays did she ever dress like a "normal" female. She much preferred the hands-on, equal partner look than the feminine approach.

"Hmph."

At least that time, she got an answer. Well, sort of, in the form of a disapproving quick scan of her body and a dissatisfied grunt following.

Gee, thanks. Sally smirks to herself, growing more and more accustomed to her erratic partner's bad behavior and small, small talk.

I didn't think I looked that bad.

With that hidden smile, she finds her male companion now just finishing his glare upon an elderly lady.

Third and final try before things get rough...

"That's not a disguise, Wufei. It's just an old woman with a bad hair day. Stop frightening her." Sally's whisper almost becomes audible in her smiling exasperation.

Ah, finally, his lips moved in response. At last.

"It's not the old woman I'm interested in. It's her basket." Chang Wufei's glazed glare pierces at the old lady's large basket as if his black eyes could see through to its contents if he stared hard enough.

"She's making her move." Always ready for a struggle, Wufei's heightened warrior senses take hold of him. Sally shakes her head to warn him off as she watches his swift hand reach inside his guise of a inconspicuous grey business suit. He begins to unsheath his trusty hidden sword.

How the hell did you get that through the security scan at the front entrance!

"No, Wufei! Wait and see!" Sally whispers in authority, going above and beyond her duty of bravery as she sticks her hands inside Wufei's suit jacket and blessedly, doesn't get her fingers--or head--chopped off by the razor sharp sword. She forcefully grabs the hilt and shoves it back down into its sheath. "Wait!" She mouths, right in his face, her hands were wrapped over his, holding the anxious sword down.

"Woman...grrrr..."

The audible growl ensuing from the angry Chinaman's throat could've been frightening, especially to Sally. She knew his strength could pull that sword out any said second and her along with it.

But with Wufei, Sally was long past fright. She turns back to the scene in question, her own spring action movements readied as both she and a growling Wufei watch the old woman make her way through the crowd to a certain pair making introductions. The old lady simply reaches into her basket and hands the beautiful young woman a lavender carnation--matching the young lady's suitclothes. She pins it to her jacket with a kind, harmless smile.

"I don't know if you've ever met my dear brother, Milliardo." Relena Peacecraft-Darlian thanks the old woman who scurries away into the crowd, Wufei's eyes still following her.

She introduces her brother to this group of top representatives who have come to know and respect Miss Darlian so much in the political arena. Because of that respect for her, most of the officials simply nod pleasantly. Each of them were fairly certain just who this Milliardo Peacecraft was from before during his OZ and White Fang days. But peaceful minded as they were, they were prepared to let bygones be bygones and not delve into past wrongs--only towards the future rights.

That's what they all had in mind as Relena walked up to them with the wayward brother on her arm. All but one crusty old fellow, that is.

"I remember your face, young man. Wore a mask, yes." The over hundred elderly gent bangs his cane on Milliardo's noggin--slightly, sort of.

"Didn't you use to be a top member in Treize Khushrenada's organization?" Justice Thom, at the youthful age of 103, was not known for his memory or his tact. But when one failed him the other was sure to kick in. This was one such time when fading memory hit, but tact, upon saying such a reknowned name loudly through the conference hall, did not.

Silence.

The bustling crowd of peaceful seat seekers freeze in place it seemed at the mere mention of that one name. Sally, her hand on Wufei's sword still, feels his grip tighten around his sword hilt again at the word. She was sure he was going to draw it this time and chop off a few heads in frustration from the look on his face. But the flash of anger passes. Wufei resheaths fully the sword and hangs his head.

"Treize." Wufei's eyes close in mystery of his feelings on the subject, causing Sally's brows to furrow in worry and wonder...


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Before the Mask**

With long baited breath, the silent-so-a-pin-drop-could-be-heard auditorium awaits the answer of Milliardo Peacecraft A.K.A Zechs Marquise, former member of Treize Khushrenada's OZ organization that, not so long ago, had the entire world and Outer Space within its grasp.

And had let it slip through...

Just as Treize had let Zechs go once--yet the hold still remained over him, over many who would still, to this day, give their lives up for their beloved leader, since passed from the surly bonds of this world--and also over those who had cursed the power he held over them while he was still in it.

The debate over Treize's role in this whole ideal world that was now coming to pass, just as he predicted, would never end for some. And Zechs was one of those "some."  
Treize's impact on his life, his ideals of nobility were ingrained on young Milliardo Peacecraft's mind ever since that first time he met the boy, several years his elder, who had taken a special interest in the lad...

The length of his wavy platinum blonde hair was a constant source of torment for this newcomer to the Royal Academy. Boys, even at early ages such as Milliardo, at the tender age of five, could tease one another to no end. They seemed to find some kind of superiority in pointing out each other's faults--even ones as petty as uniforms and haircuts---and long, ridiculous names.

"Milly! Hey, Milly!" The broken English of a six-year-old Spanish count to be made the nickname of the boy dubbed Milliardo even more foolish sounding.

Milliardo's platinum brows furrow together and the set of his little jaw was his only response. Ever since his mother had personally dropped the young aristocrat off at the academy, fluffed and tufted his hair with a tender kiss and motherly hug, waved farewell to the boy, 5-year-old Milliardo had gotten nothing but jibes and teasing from his fellow Academy students. About his mother, about his hair, about his nation's pacifist king.

It had been nearly two weeks since Milliardo first arrived at the Academy and he hadn't liked anything about it. The other boys were cruel and mean and left him out of everything. They called him names, and ridiculed his looks. They kept repeating, "Pacifist! Pacifist! Pacifist Milly!" And he wasn't even sure what they meant--only that they said it with sneers on their faces and cruelty in their eyes.

With all that and being away, for the first time from his parents and his infant little sister, Milliardo couldn't take it. It was all too much for him to bear. He wasn't a wimpy boy. He wasn't afraid of them. But he knew that his father wouldn't want him to get into fights, like so many times already he'd seen these boys fight between themselves on the playground and training areas. Not to mention in the boys' bedchambers where pins on the mattresses, honey goo in the shoes, or cut up trousers being found in your drawer was a regular thing.

This particular morning, Milliardo had gotten all three, as well as a reprimand by his teacher for being late with less than perfection pressed slacks and a misknotted tie to boot. This whole Academy ordeal was really getting to him. And today, even the Peacecrafts' son couldn't remain a mere pacifist. He just couldn't take it anymore.

And after all, he was still one of the boys before he was the Peacecraft heir.

"Take it back, Rodrigo." He says suddenly, his little voice raspy and cold, even as his eyes remained glued to his textbook.

"What did you say, Milly?" Jacques, the seven-year-old son of a lord was just asking for it. He laughed between his Spanish and Czechoslovakian comrades all picking on "Milly."

It took a lot to crack this young boy with an iron will, but the three boys' jabs, cackles and poking fingers pulling at his hair were too much today.

Enough was enough.

"I said TAKE IT BACK!"

He was faster than anyone he'd ever seen before in all his life, as eight-year-old Treize stops in his tracks, taking in the scene before him. It was a scuffle between the younger boys again. He was accustomed to seeing such activities taking place at this all boys academy. After all, Treize himself had been attending the Royal School since he was even younger than the boys he was secretly watching.

He knew indeed well how uncivilized males could act and how often even the ones supposed to be civilized could stoop to their level. It was an unfair fight. Three ruffians against one. But Treize was not going to interfere--not yet anyway.

_Besides, perhaps my services will not be required. _He thinks to himself with an amused smirk and an approving eyebrow raised as the singular boy being attacked was winning the battle.

A quick jab sent the Spanish lad down to the ground, the Czech boy screamed in pain as his arm cracks audibly, leaving the French boy begging for mercy--just before his upturned nose is smashed into a bloody mess.

"Speed. He has great potential." Even as all this happens in less than a 30-second span of time, Treize's analytical mind, much too old for his years, takes it all in. And now with admiration for the victor.

Milliardo however, wasn't feeling all that proud of his actions. He knew deep inside his father would look down on him.

_But it felt so good to give them their just desserts! _

"I won't be picked on as one of the weak people in this world!" He announces over the three whimpering boys' bodies, an angry look in his steely blue eyes. The losers scurry away to tell on him to the principal's office.

"And so you won't. I'll show you how." Treize could keep silent no longer. He strode up to where Milliardo was standing with his fists still clenched though his whole body was trembling.

"Who--?" Milliardo looks up quick, his fists up and ready to fight this newcomer too.

He was a student in a uniform like himself, but there was something about this boy. He was older, yes, a few years ahead. Milliardo saw this from the different colored band around his perfectly knotted tie. He wasn't all that much taller though. Milliardo had had a growth spurt recently and the two boys stood nearly eye to eye.

His hair was a golden tan, swept and pushed back neatly, save for two tiny loose curls trickling over his noble forehead. His mouth was twitched in a pleased smirk and his dark blue eyes seemed to smile in admiration at Milliardo's triumph. His golden eyebrows were, well, Milliardo couldn't explain what he liked about them, but it was something...almost like the older boy's very features were amused at the world before him. That he knew something, a secret nobody else knew--and Milliardo suddenly wanted to know it too.

"How--?" Milliardo was about to ask what the older boy meant when the Principal appears from behind his slamming office door. The three tattletale babies Milliardo just whupped followed close behind, their noses up in the air.

"Like this." His back to the coming principal, Treize mouths this to Milliardo with a devilish grin, and then turns around. His smile to his superior bordered on angelic.

"General," Treize begins before Principal Catalonia has a chance to utter his sentence upon new student Milliardo.

"What have you to do with this, Khushrenada? I was not aware you were involved." General Catalonia turns to the three boys behind him. They shook their heads with a look of terrified fear coming to each of their eyes as they avert their gazes from the principal's questioning glare, and then from Treize's all-knowing, smiling one.

After all, to them, indeed to all inhabitants of this school, save for new boy Milliardo, were well aware of this Russian heir's prowess on all subjects, whether it be in academics to be acing a difficult history exam, making an elegant speech with flair, flamboyance and elocution, receiving the highest marks in theoretical mathematics (and triangulating circles around the most prestigious of instructors), and on top of his extremely high intelligence quotient, young Treize Khushrenada was an excellent sportsman. Horseback riding, skeet shooting, fencing--when it came to the sports of kings and noblemen, Treize had it all. That--and a witty mind that could easily cut through ice--or melt it with one of his smiles.

Treize was a natural born leader and though young Milliardo didn't know this at the time, he would soon find out why.

"General," Treize picks up again, the wily smile in place. "I was just testing out my latest theorem in human socialogy. It is a study of great interest to me--the interaction between one being of equal status to another, testing the limits of how much outside stimuli is required to set one off against the other." He pauses, giving the three battered and bruised tattles the questioning eyebrow. They all look up at him, not understanding one word of what he was saying. It went over their little numbskull heads, but they still sensed somehow that perhaps he was going to make everything all right with the general. After all, they knew they were in the wrong. General Catalonia's strict rules on groups of individuals ganging up on one singular individual with either "violence" or "inflammatory speech" would be highly chastised, punished in shame. And the result would be put on their permanent records--the be all and end all to these young men who, like their respected royal families around the globe, held prestige and high-character above all else.

And the report would be immediately sent on to their kingly fathers and queenly mothers if they were believed to be involved in anything as unsavory as a schoolfight--and on top of that, to be the losers against just one student.

Satisfied with the look of fear and gratitude on their peaked faces, Treize suppresses a smile and continues.

"And these young men were aiding my study." The three bite their lips, their tails all on the line.

General Catalonia looks to Milliardo's dumbfounded look on his face and sees it's enough to know he hadn't been informed of any psychology experiments Khushrenada was performing.

"And you, Peacecraft?" The no-nonsense, last name only basis, sets off the young boy's nerves. He was accustomed to being treated kindly and gently in his own home, but here, so far away, he didn't know who he could turn to.

"I..uh, I..." Milliardo was at a loss for words. So he follows the example of the other youngsters--and looks to Treize, the boy who seemed to always have the answers.

"I believe that the stimulus would, shall we say, muddy the waters if I had informed this young subject of the test and therefore make the experiment in psychology moot. I do hope you forgive my oversight." Treize smiles at Milliardo with a bowing nod, causing, for some reason, Milliardo to nod in agreement though he couldn't exactly explain why.

"I do admit, as you can see, things did get a bit out of my control. And my three friends" Treize stresses the word, running a smile over the three boys, "did overreact to the test subject's involuntary reaction. It is all entirely my fault, General. And I do ask that any reprimand made is put on my permanent record and my record alone." A sweep of the dramatic hand, a sweet smile and beseeching eyes--General Catalonia had known Treize ever since he was a tiny child. Yet, still he felt something amiss. Treize's way of winning others to his side was his own--well beyond his youthful years. It was a valued commodity in any leader and Catalonia was sure that someday his nephew would be an influential one in this trying world. And those somedays would come--with or without a reprimand on his record.

_So, let's go without. _

Catalonia, deep inside the rough principal role, was the kindest of kind souls. He saw something inside his young nephew that told him this Russian boy was something special--someone who could take the world and shape it in his hands.

The General had ideals of his own for this changing world--and he was certain young Treize was going to be part of it. Watching the lads faces of gratitude at young Master Treize, Principal Catalonia could now see why he always thought so much of his nephew. Maybe he was the one who would stand at his side as his right hand when the conflict comes to a head. And come to a head it would. Soon young Khushrenada would be leading the charge.

"Yes, yes. A reprimand may not be necessary, seeing as it was an academic project." The principal finally nods with a small chortle. "Let's see to those "involuntary" injuries, lads." Catalonia turns back into the strict boys' academy principal.

"And Treize," his uncle gives him a stern eye--one that knew and told he knew of the wool being pulled over his eyes today--"see this sort of experimentation doesn't occur again, will you?" He raises his eyebrow at the golden-haired lad.

"Understood, General, sir." Treize stands tall, saluting his superior as any well-trained soldier would.

"Oh, and Khushrenada?" Catalonia adds, as he turns back to his office, leaving.  
"Sir?" Treize raises one interested eyebrow.

"See to Peacecraft's settling in."

Treize nods. That was already on his mind. This boy had impressed him with the speed and skill in taking down three other boys.

"And remember Peacecraft, we are all in this together." Turning to say as he leaves down the hallowed hall, the Principal had almost forgotten the new boy at the root of this entire problem to begin with.

Milliardo had unconsciously taken a step behind Treize all this time. He felt he was a comrade, a protector almost, in the older boy covering for him. He had amazed Milliardo by getting him off the hook and the other boys as well.

Milliardo's honest mind was a bit perturbed with this at first. Those three boys had angered him so and he was one to hold a grudge. However, the way Treize handled everything so deftly, the way the other boys looked upon Treize so respectfully, and in the very way he spoke, with large, important sounding words to the principal. These were things Milliardo was intrigued by and wanted to know more about.

All that--and the first question Treize had planted into his mind, which seemed forever ago, but in reality was just five minutes past.

Milliardo looks up to Treize, the question on his lips answered before he even has a chance to ask it.

"How not to be acknowledged as one of the weak people of this world?" Treize turns, rephrasing the question to the intently listening Milliardo.

"Become stronger, for the Earth and for the people you love here, Lightning Count." With a smile and nickname for his new friend, Treize Khushrenada says this with utter conviction and nobility. He brushes his two loose hair back as he leads the young Milliardo Peacecraft out into the sunlight, towards the shooting range.

All this memory flashes back through Zechs' mind in a matter of mere seconds. The silent crowd in the auditorium still awaited the answer to the question the Justice had just posed.

Relena looks to her big brother, wondering what he'd say. Noin from behind, hoped her husband's answer would be a good one. She knew him so well that she knew he had just come back from one of his reveries.

_No more doubts._

"Yes, I was once Lieutenant Colonel Zechs Marquise of OZ." He announces to the crowd as an almost palpable gasp could be heard. Zechs pauses an unnoticeable half-second, knowing his next words were coming from another's lips. But he truly believed them, now more than ever, so they were now his words too. "I've become stronger, for my Colony and for the Earth and for the people I love here."  
Zechs' gaze alights upon Noin and then Relena.

_Yes, Treize, I now know what you mean at last._

Zechs thinks as the crowd roars in applause, a proud wife on one arm and a beaming sister on the other.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Second Impressions**

Once inside the crowded auditorium, one could feel the enormity of human acheivement--from the decorated halls to the stained glass windows where birds of peace were intricately carved, just for this occasion, from the multi-lingual soundsystem at each audience member's seat, right down to the ornate display of so many various member nation flags surrounding the monstrous stage's microphone speaker platform. Everything here was put in with great thought and significance in the magnanimous attempt, by all representing each nation to show understanding to one's fellow Earth Sphere citizen--unity between the world nations and now the Outer Space colonies, and finally an optimism for the peaceful path to the future each envision.

And when it came to understanding unity and optimism, one representative in herself epitomized all three. One might not imagine that the hopes of so many people rested on such a soft-spoken, meek looking, sweet faced young girl. But in moments like these about to take place, it become quite obvious why.

"Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of nations near and far, dignitaries and honored guests, we welcome you cordially to this special event where all peace-seeking nations both on the Earth and of the Colonies in Outer Space have agreed to meet in unity and understanding to make the Earth Sphere a place we can all be proud to be a part of."

Foreign Minister Relena Darlian, as elected by a majority vote to be MC of today's conference, confidently takes to the podium. Her elegant, off white dignitary outfit gleamed as a beacon of light as she begins to speak to the audience. Their reverence for her past triumphs and representations of peace was so palpable that you could even hear a pin drop when she pauses for a breath.

"Wooo--woooo!"

A pin, or in this instance, a loud high-pitched whistle resounds and echoes off the domed ceiling could do the trick.

"That's a mouth full good-lookin'. And the party's just gettin' started!" A hick voice comments loud enough for the shocked silent crowd to hear. Miss Relena's elegant and diplomatic speech was rudely interrupted by this outspoken, yet favorable assessment of her opening statement."

_At least it was a kind whistle._

Relena recalls the first time someone had called that slang name--one Duo Maxwell, when he was feigning to be a student with another boy she had come to know so well...

"I agree. This party, as you call it, has just begun. And we all can be treated to a great number of eloquent speeches from our representatives honoring us with their presence here today. We have all been looking forward to the celebration of peaceful minds. Yes, thank you for reminding us what a joyous occasion this promises to be." Relena, fluent speaker as ever, shows her mettle in this graceful save. The audience again were awed so much that they break out in applause for her. Her own brother watches, and gains even more respect for the little sister with every word and action she makes as he watches from below.

"DUO MAXWELL!" Hilde, seated beside him (and wishing she wasn't just a moment or two ago) wanted to slink away from him as far as she could go from his big, fat mouth. She was just about to bodily berate his noisy interruption of wonderful Miss Relena's speech when the angel of kindness intercedes for him once again.

"And I do thank you for the compliment, Sir." Relena's sparkling blue eyes laugh at the rabble rousing rascal beside Hilde. Duo answers the princess with a big Duo thumbs-up and wink at the stage.

"Oh, how does one do that again? Oh yes," Relena was not only a young girl and brilliant speaker, but also a masterful politician as well. Right now as she quickly musters up an overacted wink back. The entire audience watches her intently, joining in with her merry laughter from atop the centerstage. They were taken in by her wit and undeniable charm. It was becoming more and more obvious to some that Miss Relena Darlian's political career was destined for greatness in the future ahead.

The conference then, after that pleasant start, goes on as normal. The scheduled speakers and representatives all carried out their speeches and lectures of peace and prosperous living for the future. It was only obvious to those who knew him well just how pale L4 Colony's leader was.

His usual good eye contact and easy-spoken manner were stiff and a bit...frightened. But none of those who called him a close friend had any idea why their well-versed leader was acting so sheepish until the close of this first day of Peace Accords later that afternoon.

"What's with you Quatre, old buddy? Cat got your tongue?" Duo liked this punch and hors'doevres part of the convention. Hilde, piped up behind him.

"Like you didn't sleep through half of the second half of speeches, Duo Maxwell!" Hilde had had to keep poking and prodding up the braided boy.

"Huh? Did you say something, Duo? I'm sorry, I wasn't..." Quatre Winner's trailing sentence follows his eyes wandering about the meeting hall where the diplomats and representatives were now mingling with one another. Little sparring arguments were heard over little sandwiches and tea.

"Quatre, who are you...?" Trowa picks up on his best friend's distracted scan of the room. Cathrine was at his side, and Duo and Hilde were next to them. All followed their yellow-haired, golden boy Quatre's gaze across the over crowded room of diplomat's jabbering.

As each of them focus in on the source of Quatre's lost reverie, they each can't believe what their senses told them--that their cute, little friend Quatre had become fixated on a girl--and not just any girl. His misty eyes gazing across the room spoke volumes to them.

"Quatre! Yo, Quatre!" Duo, shivering at the very thought of it, waved a hand in front of the dreamy features plastered on the young boy's face. Quatre didn't respond at all. So impressed was he by the vision of the girl who haunted his dreams making her elegant moves through the crowd--like a shark slithering through water.

"What's the matter with Quatre?" Lucrezia Noin asks in concern as she finally manages to extract both her husband and his famous sister from the latest throng of adoring attackers.

"Here it comes right now." A voice laced with sarcasm answers Noin's question. One Wufei Chang checking in with his Preventer partner of a woman, who was wasting time cavorting with the likes of Noin and Zechs, some other various females, Barton, Winner and Maxwell to top it all off when she should be absorbed stalking--ahem--surveying the crowd of do-gooders and peacemakers.

_Weaklings all._

Wufei was about to take off and disappear himself into the crowd rather than be confronted by this creature of a woman most of all.

But something in his masochist, macho nature made him pause enough to watch the excitement of the evil one in action up close on the front lines. Besides, he had his trusty sword at the ready in case things got too ugly.

"How Providential to bump into you Miss Relena, Miss Noin, Mister Milliardo." Dorothy Catalonia does indeed slither. Right up close beside Quatre R. Winner--closer than his reddening collar line seemed to be able to bear.

"I was just saying to myself 'Dorothy, wouldn't it be lovely to invite my dearest friends after a long day of attending endless speech-making, pomp and circumstance, to relax on a well-deserved vacation from their daring Colony terraforming efforts on my very own private beach.'"

"The ocean view is lovely at this time of year, near my villa on the shoreline, I assure you." She smiles that weasly, snake-like smile that sets Milliardo's teeth on edge once again. He was about to refuse her invite but his wife and sister seemed to have different ideas.

"It's very kind of you to invite us, Miss Dorothy. In between these talks, it might be a good idea to get out in the sun and take a break, and I have been hoping to show my brother and sister-in-law some sights before they must return to their terraforming Colony on Mars. Lucrezia? Milliardo? Will you?" Relena is taken in by the sneaky snake sandtrap. She considered Dorothy, despite their past difficulties, one of her dearest friends--and Miss Relena was always kind to her friends. She thought everyone, including Miss Catalonia, was as honest and genuine as she was. She didn't think they could be plotting and scheming as others about thought Dorothy could be at this very moment...

"Of course, what a nice idea. Thank you, Miss Dorothy. We haven't been to a shore in ages, have we, Zechs?" Noin prompts the P.R. side of her brooding husband's personality. A grunt was his only reply. But that was good enough for Relena.

"Yes, Dorothy. We accept your kind invitation then. I have a splendid idea! Why don't we all go together? It'll be a chance for us to spend some time together and those of you who live on the Colonies don't often get a chance to see the splendor that Earth's beaches offer." Relena extends Dorothy's invite to the rest of the gang.

"That invitation extends to Representative Winner as well of course." Dorothy slides in the main intent of all this good-hearted generosity. It stops upon one glance upon one furball of a loud-mouth standing behind the golden Winner heir.

"Sure! Heck, why not. We could hit the waves for a change from the old grind. Huh, Trowa, old buddy?" Duo Maxwell's enthusiastic tagging along was an unseemly dilemma that Dorothy Catalonia was not prepared for. Her intention to get Raberba Winner to her place was now going all awry.

"Well, that is, if Miss Catalonia's kind offer does extend to us as well. You shouldn't make such assumptions before asking politely." Trowa Barton's thoughtful, sensible voice brings Dorothy's flustered, angry mind back down to polite society.

"We'd understand entirely, Miss Catalonia if--" Trowa was a gentleman and right at that moment, Dorothy wondered who he reminded her of so suddenly.

_Oh, well, nevermind._

"Of course you're welcome to my private beach and villa as well, Mr. Barton. And bring whomever else you may like. It will be my pleasure as your hostess." She can't help but roll her eyes at the fuzzball one more time, choosing to focus on the ups of this promised excursion rather than his downs.

"Then, shall I see you early tomorrow at my villa? I'm certain Master Winner can direct you there. I'll be expecting you before noon. And do bring your beachwear. Ta ta!" With a flourishing backhand, Dorothy Catalonia is off. Her platinum blonde hair trailed long after she was gone, but with one final penetrating look at Quatre with icy cold eyes before she leaves. He freezes in place, watching her leave in awe, just as he watched her come in--wordlessly.

They all stand there, reeling of what just happened. Dorothy had done most of the talking and certainly all of the orchestrating to their astonished blinking eyes.

"What'd you make of all that?" Duo's mouth was the first to go at explaining the inexplicable Dorothy C.

"Better you than me, that's all I have to say." Wufei, who once thought his life could be no more cursed than being stuck cavorting with this lot at a pacifist party, was now of the assured opinion that it could be. And he would have no part of it. Sally rolls her eyes at him.

"Gee, thanks." Hilde answers, not knowing quite what to make of Duo's friends and the company they keep as well.

The happy to meet group of just moments ago (before Hurricane Dorothy hit) split up and scatter, each with visions of their own for what "fun" tomorrow had in store for them.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Welcome Distractions**

The next morning would come anyway, despite Duo Maxwell's valiant attempts to stave it off--stall it, at least, with all the pay-per-view movies and laser satellite TV the ritzy hotel had to offer. Thoughtful Miss Relena had reserved rooms for herself and her traveling friends attending the Peace meeting. Though Miss Hilde's pocketbook was not a grateful as her pasted smile to Relena showed when her pinch-a-penny eyes took notice of the hotel's prices on the print out receipt the hotel clerk handed to her with a set of keys to her own room at the front desk.

"For heaven's sake, Duo! You've been stuck to that tube all night! At least turn it down a little! I do require more than a half hour of sleep a night, you know." Hilde groans as she trudges out of the luxurious bedroom in her nightgown, not looking at all rested considering the amount of money this stay-over cost.

"Huh? Oh, sure." Duo's eyes were still glued to the pay-per-access AWA channel (All Women's Aerobics channel) where more than a few brainless well-endowed ladies were practicing their charms on the no-doubt equally brainless male audiences watching their so-called "aerobic exercises".

"...One and two and three and..."

"What are you watching anyway? I thought exercise and aerobics were definite morning programs to give empty-headed males a reason to wake up." Rubbing her tired eyes, Hilde crosses the messy room, but she doesn't feel even the least bit sorry for the cleaning crew of this rip-off establishment. "The overpricing here is intolerable! Just because there's an important event downtown..."

At Duo's continued ignoring of her, Hilde goes to the couch and plops on it. After a second too many of watching Duo drool at the women onscreen, she hits the power button and switches the poor TV off after a long night.

"Hey!" That finally catches the bug-eyed Maxwell's attention. He jumps up, indignant hands on his hips as he stands over Hilde. "Empty headed males aren't the only ones who need to wake up!" He snorts out, trying to get a hold of the remote from a resisting Hilde.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Hilde retorts, passing the remote back and forth over Duo's frustrated head. She started to giggle as he kept getting duped, reminding her of their days of their youth together.

She was that little girl again, pulling that bad boy's braid as hard as she could.  
"Ow! Ow!" Duo moans at the hair tug. He gives up on the remote and picks up the whole bad-tempered Ms. Schbeiker, clutching the remote in her hand.

"I wasn't the one who got a refund on her room and imposed on a friend's good nature of letting her stay in HIS own hotel bed while he got the couch, was I? Hmm?" Balancing Hilde's small frame right over his head as he issues his own complaints for his thrifty boss' tactics concerning return policies.

Duo's sneering face gets a walloping remote smashed to his head in answer from above.

"That's because you're...

SMACK 

...not...

WHOP! 

...the boss!"

SMASH! 

Hilde's frantic hands bang at him, finally making Duo put her down. The angry look on her cute face was scarier than those paw pats of hers. Duo smirks.

"I'm your boss!" Hilde sticks her tongue out as her "employee". Duo returns it with a raspberry of his own. The two bickered like school children again--never growing up. The turn their backs to one another until Hilde's angry eyes catch sight of the digital clock hanging on the wall.

"Oh my gosh! It's morning! Duo! Why didn't you tell me it's already eight in the morning? We're supposed to meet Quatre, Relena and the rest of the gang in the lobby at 8:30 AM! What am I going to wear! Do I have time for a shower! Oh, my hair! How am I ever going to make it now!" Hilde frazzles about the room for 5 full seconds. Her mind was going a mile a minute until her eyes land upon one smug, crossed-arms, former employee/friend. He was looking at her as if he enjoyed her tizzy.

"You were supposed to wake me up at 7 AM, big doof!" Hilde lets her fury smack Duo across the chest with the problematic remote control. The impact consequently switches the TV on. The stations on auto-search flicker across the screen almost mind-numbingly fast. It was much the same as Hilde herself, racing into the bath, all doors between here and there slamming loudly in her speedy wake...

"It's morning, Hilde." Duo offers politely enough to the whooshing air Hilde left behind her. Duo's glance at the passing exercise channels interesting offerings give his beleaguered male mind food for thought on the dazzling array of beach-wearing females that would be on display this afternoon to look forward to...

When it came to beautiful days with clear blue skies and crystal beach waters, today was one to put down in the books.

And why shouldn't it be? A young woman with a touch of sunshine in her long, long hair goes to her bedroom window, pushing it's lace curtains aside and shoves the window wide open. She lets the sun's rays and the gentle breeze from the blue skies above soak into her skin.

"I know you were waiting just for me." He high voice whispers to the sun and sky, and the ocean surrounding her on the expansive villa on the coastline that she called home.

In all her glory, riches and regalness, Senator Dorothy Catalonia was one who was always certain that the day began and ended just for her. It could never reach its ultimate peak of beauty and splendor until she woke up and greeted it with all the splendor and beauty only she in the entire world possessed.

There were two important men in her life that shaped young Dorothy into the haughty, overconfident woman she was today--and she treasured their memory and loved them for it.

_Enough of the past though...today I'm looking towards the future..._

Dorothy lets the thought trail off. Her perfectly groomed eyebrows raise at the crystal clear out there, somewhere. She waited with high expectations of HIS arrival...

"It's going to be a nice day, the weatherman says. Not a cloud in the sky." Quatre Raberba Winner finds himself babbling almost all the plane trip to their planned destination. He felt a certain nervousness--as if there was something waiting there for him--something circling in the purported deep ocean of blue. Something that could maybe even eat him alive!  
But the wealthy (very very extremely wealthy) businessman and famed heir to the Winner foundation (Colony builders) wasn't usually this over, over talkative. He did his share when it came to speech making and public relations and such.

_Oh, speechmaking..._

Quatre pauses after the latest slew of weather announcements and closes his eyes. Behind them, he saw yesterday's speech clearly--no, not the one he stood on stage and spoke before hundreds of delegates and the like, not to mention millions wide live TV coverage--no, it was the speech where there was only but one of those delegates present. The meek, flustered, and unpolished one he knew himself to have read directly from the page with so much as a smile or eye contact as his usual flair for public speaking contained naturally.

_Eye contact? With her? _ gulp 

Quatre R. Winner, powerful businessman, well-traveled speaker and ahem brave Gundam pilot can't help but gulp at the way her faded indigo eyes pierce into him--right through to his soul. He was sure of it whenever he looked at her---beautiful, mysterious Miss Dorothy Catalonia...

"Umm, Quatre? Are you feeling all right? Trowa, look at his neck and cheeks! They've just gone all red." Another high-pitched woman's voice (though not the biting, innuendo filled one of the female in Quatre's dreams) was caring and more motherly like as she puts a hand to his head in worry.

And Cathrine cuts into Quatre's delirium. He often slipped into moments such as these since yesterday. Since he saw her again for the first time since...

Quatre no longer remembers the way Dorothy Catalonia had stabbed him straight through with a fencing sword on that Libra that day so long ago.  
No, all he could recall from that time was her eyes. Her beautiful eyes so full of strength and yet so empty and forlorn. It made him want to fill those sad eyes and give them something to be happy about...

"He'll be all right.'' Trowa Barton was one man who knew Quatre R. Winner better than any. The cute smallish blonde and the tall handsome man had become fast and good friends even amidst the tumultuous battle. They understood each other's goodnesses, strengths and weaknesses by virtue of their friendship bond. And besides, Trowa himself was present first hand when Dorothy Catalonia had affected Quatre so much. Anyone with half a brain (and Trowa had that half and his whole one to boot) could see the genuine attraction between the two confused and life-saddened blondes. Trowa knew.

"It must just be the altitude." Trowa shrugs. Quatre's little secret was safe with him. Besides, maybe he'd share all his own secrets with this certain curious and caring lovely girl today...

As the Winner's private jet finally sets down on a small island off the Spanish coast, the group of vacationeers pile out onto the runway to find a limousine car awaiting their arrival. It was a gold-plated limousine no less at that.

"Oooh, guess who sent that." Duo mumbles under his breath, sighing. He wasn't much looking forward to today since Dorothy Catalonia and himself didn't mix well in social circles if you know what I mean.

"Give ya a clue." He giggles as his pulls his normal eyebrows into Dorothy's abnormal evil-looking split ones. The devilish look in his eyes was enough to make a cat laugh.

"Duo! Behave yourself! Miss Catalonia was very kind to invite us to spend the weekend here on this island getaway of hers. The least you could do is show some respect for a direct blood relative of His--" Hilde Schbeiker (former OZ soldier and admirer of a certain equally evil-eyebrowed gentleman) berates her partner for his disrespect. She had no clue why Duo was so down on the famous Senator Catalonia. But maybe after this weekend, trapped on Dorothy's island, she would find out that why for herself.

"---Excellency. Yeah, yeah, right." Duo has heard this awed claptrap of his little girlfriend so many times he could just spit. "You're still so intense, it makes me sick." Duo mutters, shaking his braided head, remembering that OZ uniform of a pipsqueak Hilde.

"Me too." Hilde turns her angered nose up at Duo and walks away from the airplane and him. She allows the chauffeur of the golden limo to usher her inside without so much as a look back at Duo. Hilde was so certain that if Dorothy's well known cousin earned her respect and devotion--that surely Senator Catalonia would too.

Boy, was she wrong.

"Welcome to my home away from home. I trust your trip here was pleasant? Jeeves, do see to their luggage." Dorothy Catalonia sported a tiny leopard-skin two piece bikini already. She was just finishing tying up her hair in a matching leopard skin hairband framing her face.

_A face like that ought to be framed--in prison._

Duo smiled at this creature, so highly regarded by others, could even be liked or---

"How nice you look in that suit, Miss Catalonia. It's very becoming." Hilde compliments kindly, expecting nothing but graciousness in return. Her unbuttoned shirt showed her own two piece. It wasn't revealing at all like Dorothy's but...

"Yes, isn't it? Is that your swimming attire? It is such a shame that there was such short notice from yesterday that you didn't have a chance to find something more suitable for petite sizes such as yourself to wear. Ah well. Friends do have to make allowances for one another, don't they? Bring the bags right up to their rooms right away, Jeeves."

All in a sweep of a finger, Dorothy manages to garner Hilde's dislike right off. Her face reddens at the insult with as much shame for her own dowdy swimsuit ("Hey! It was cheap and on clearance!") as with anger at being taken down by the blonde witch in front of all the others. She was sure that Dorothy's penetrating eyes were insulting more than just her choice of clothing. Hilde blushes suddenly at her petite size as she looks down.

"Now do you see why I don't care for "His Excellency's" lovely cousin, Hilde babe?" Duo's whisper in her ear rubs it in her face. Hilde had the urge to smack him--so she does. She gives him a hard belt on the back of his snickering head.

"Shut up." She hisses. Trowa and Cathrine smile at each other as they follow Dorothy up the marble steps into her villa. (If a mansion on the coast was called that--it sprawled out forever it seemed.)

The only one who didn't seem to notice Hilde and Duo's bickering was Dorothy herself. She was caught up in her own world--and Quatre now looked like he wanted to be part of it too as he follows her like a little doggy--hook, line and sinker.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: All That Glitters**

"I don't usually stand for tardiness, but I think today I'll make an exception since you are all such DEAR friends of mine." Dorothy Catalonia calls out from over her balcony. The palatial villa was a fitting backdrop to the every look in or about this young woman.

Everything was decked out, from golden beam front door to the real gold-plated statues spurting sparkling water into the golden fountain front entrance. It all shouted two words--RICH! Elegant!--to the group of visitors coming to the slaughter today willingly.

And richness and elegance were two words that Zechs' mind entirely associated with another member of this noted bloodline. It was an unpleasant memory and he smirked with a shaking head crossing his dismayed face. He wondered what on earth could have dragged his now-sensible self to this cursed villa he had visited so often in the past as a young man.

He was the adoring little lackey then of the man who so lavished and spoiled affections on his darling cousin. He wasted so much time and money upon one despicable--

"Treize's little cousin brat who always pulled my hair..." Zechs mutters under his breath, his long haired head shaking its displeasure at being dragged her to Catalina island and its undelectable mistress was written on his frustrated features.

"Mr. Milliardo!" Dorothy seems blissfully unaware of his contemptuous nature towards her. She sings out his name from her balcony's edge like a happy tweety bird. "You haven't graced Catalina's shores for a VERY long time. Not since the days when you and Mr. Treize used to come and play with me here when I was just a little girl. You do remember of course? We have missed you here." Dorothy's haughty voice chirps out almost drippingly too too pleasant. It sounded more like nails on a chalkboard to Milliardo's pain-filled ears.

"Good afternoon, Miss Dorothy. What a pleasant day this is." Now this feminine voice had the totally opposite effect on Zechs. He smiles and his eyes open at his baby sister's calming, peaceful strains as they greet the despicable Dorothy.

"Yes, isn't it?" Dorothy murmurs, letting the sunlight dance upon her beaming features. Both she and it radiated golden rays--one complimented the other. She was always certain the weather would be fine just because she willed it to be.

"Welcome to Catalina as well, Miss Relena, Miss Lucrezia." Dorothy was now leaning luxuriously over her bannister. The sight of one Quatre Raberba Winner stepping out the front door to greet the incoming guests seemed to place a spell over her misty eyes.

"Please, just call me 'Noin'. I've gotten used to it. Nobody ever calls me 'Lucrezia' anymore." Noin kindly requests, her surname was the accustomed one that in fact, everyone called her ever since she was a tiny little girl. That is, everyone except for--

"Yes, but I find 'Miss Lucrezia' so much more alluring for a royal baroness and wife of His Royal Highness, Prince of Sanc, such as yourself. Don't you agree, Quatre?" Senator Dorothy was adept at contradicting. She revelled in making men squirm under her penetrating eyes.

"Well, gulp I never really thought about it, but yes, it is a very pretty name. But I like 'Miss Noin,' too." Quatre answers the posed question with a kind smile and blushing eyes at the dark haired woman he was speaking of.

Blue and aqua eyes seemed to blend nicely, and both Zechs and Dorothy's jealous "green" ones noticed more than just a little bit of attraction quite suspiciously.

"Do you now?" Dorothy's voice coos as she takes in the scene, snubbing Quatre R. Winner, who was now the object of today's "lesson."

"I suppose sometimes the simple things are sweet." She states haughtily, sticking her royal nose up in the air at the both of them making goo-goo eyes at one another.

"What is THAT person doing back there!" Dorothy's snake-like attention diverts to one extremely suspicous personage skulking heretofore unseen in the shadows of the tree-lined lane the limousine that had picked them up had driven down.

"He's uh, scanning the perimeter, Senator. Just a routine security check, you know." Sally pipes up from the backgroud, directly behind Relena. (_Where I'm supposed to be. And you are as well, Mr. Secret-Agent Spy Chang! We're guarding the Vice-Foreign Minister today--not trying to escape her and her pacifist family.)_

Wufei's eyes slit at his partner's little white lie. He shakes his head in disgust at the deceit before and surrounding his just self--the deceit so named "Woman" that he was stuck to be flanked by all day.

_What a rotten mission. I'm not sticking around here with all these weaklings. _Wufei grunts to himself, catching a glimpse of beachcomber Duo Maxwell peeking around the door from inside.

"Hey there, good-lookin'! The beach party wouldn't be a party without ya! Let's get going! The ocean waves are calling! Come on, gals! Wu-man! Zechs-sy! We'll all hang ten!" Duo calls out with a waving invitation, looking every bit the "surfer dude" complete with shades his lowers over his winking eyes.

"Come on, Wufei. Duty calls---Huh? Where'd he go?" Sally's bored, yet dutiful voice is surprised--mildly--to find her Preventer partner suddenly vanished from sight at the mere sound of Duo's happy-go-lucky voice. But between that and Dorothy Catalonia's evil eyes, Sally almost couldn't blame him.

_Almost..._

She had been getting accustomed to his reticent attitude and often his abandonment of her in sticky situations such as this one.

_Gee, thanks, Mr. Reliable Partner of mine._

"Yes, ahem, the beach awaits us. Come along, people." Dorothy dismisses the antics below with a wave. She wraps a golden, shimmery filmy wrap around her pristine shoulders, then turns around, taking hold of Cathrine's slim, silent ones, tugging her along to join the rest of this vacationing group.

"Oh no, you don't!" Noin grabs her own husband who was about to make a run for it like Wufei. "You're not getting away that easily, husband dear." Noin looked like she was enjoying his suffering at Miss Dorothy's hands as Relena pleasantly joins Duo, Quatre, Trowa and Hilde inside to meet up with Dorothy and Cathrine.

"Did she really used to pull your hair, Zechs?" Noin asks him with a smiling smirk at the thought of her young lover.

"Yes, don't ask me about it." Milliardo's clipped voice states simply. He turns away from his laughing wife's beautiful eyes in embarrassment.

"Well, didn't you tell her to stop?" Noin presses on nonetheless, enjoying her down-to-earth husband's squirming.

"Please don't ask anymore." Zechs was sighing now as well as hanging his head in disgrace at the memories.

"All right, lover." Noin coos, seeing clearly her husband's frayed nerves and frustrated spirits.

_But maybe I can correct that. You need a little fun today. _Noin smiles devilishly and after one final caress on his long platinum hair--

She gives it a playful tug.

"Noin!" Zechs, shocked, shouts at her, but the broad smile on her teasing face couldn't help but spread to his furtive one.

"I just couldn't pass up that chance. I have to tell you, I've always wanted to do that, too." And off she sprints like a young doe, straight towards the shoreline, just beyond the villa.

Bits and pieces of her clothing were strewn along the way, mostly aiming at Zechs' taunting face as she reveals a showy bikini swimsuit. With her every move, she seemed to say 'Catch me if you can', giggling to him as she runs off.

"You always know how to calm me, Noin." Zechs' smile broadens as his tall form takes off after his playful wife--the fun of the ocean at summer calling to them both.

"Oh, Trowa? Doesn't Quatre swim?" Cathrine's voice asks out of the clear blue--the clear blue water that is, surrounding her lovely body.

The tall man, wading in the warm ocean water around her was too busy noticing her to take notice of the solitary blonde boy sitting on the white sandy beach. He was shielded by an umbrella from the bright rays of sunlight.

"...He should..." Trowa answers, not quite so certain.

"So, go and talk to him! Ask him why. He looks in a state! Almost like he's waiting for someone to come. Sometimes I worry for that boy." Cathrine says, her sisterly instincts stretching over to yet another lost orphan boy in need.

"Okay." Pleasantly (Trowa was always pleasant when he spoke to his "big sis") and he goes to where Quatre was sitting alone on the beach blanket.

"All right, what's this all about, hmm?" A shadow comes up from behind. The bright sunlight shading his blonde brow caused his lost-in-a-dream mind to awaken with a start.

"Huh? What was that, Trowa?" He recognized the voice right off, even before he glances up.

"Why aren't you coming in the water with everyone else?" Trowa asks with a welcoming glance to where Duo and Hilde were facing off in their water Olympics and Relena and Dorothy were playing volleyball. Zechs and Noin--well they had disappeared from sight...

"It's still impossible..." Quatre's face grows melancholy, a dark shade befalling him.

"Why? Aren't your wounds healed yet?" Trowa wonders aloud, concern for his best friend who not so long ago, had mortal serious wound that had put him in the hospital for quite a long while at the hands of...someone here.

"Oh yeah!" Quatre's downed face smiles absently as he answers. "I'm completely healed." He smiles broadly now, as if remembering something. "But...a little piece of me...still does remain unsolved..." Quatre finally admits, in that quiet meek voice of his. His eyes slowly travel upwards, weakly as if he were scared to dare look as he continues to speak.

"I've been feeling an awful lot better--and healthy." Quatre reassures Trowa's anxieties of his fragile health. "--But it seems my memories aren't prepared to let something from that time just go..."

Trowa follows Quatre's aqua eyes to the sparkling water's edge where the sparkles seemed to glitter especially upon one gleaming, bright face. Dorothy Catalonia's sparkling blonde hair and laughing eyes shone as she was playing ball with Relena in the ocean nearby. He caught that same glimmer in Quatre's soulful glances.

"...It's something...something...I'm seeing over there..." This admission was barely above a whisper. Quatre R. Winner trailed off the thought. His eyes were trained upon the platinum blonde leopard bikinied beauty.

_Ahh._

"I understand." Trowa's confident voice showed that everything was perfectly clear now to him concerning Quatre and a certain blonde. A big question mark pops into Quatre's head when something is suddenly plopped into his lap.

"Sunscreen lotion?" Quatre reads the bottle that Trowa had just chucked at him. "Isn't this Miss Cathrine's?"

"Today, it's all yours, Quatre. I'm sure someone can show you how to use it." Trowa, "man-of-the-world" says knowingly.

"Thanks." Quatre says unsure of his unknowing self.

"See you later. I've got to get back." Trowa gives a glance back to where his own love interest as yet was wandering and waiting for him.

"Right." Quatre looks down, considering whether or not he should...

"--and Quatre," Trowa stops midstream, turning back to add, "--don't let anyone accuse you of being weak--because I don't think you are at all. It's just all in how you handle the situation. You really should just go out there and talk to her." Trowa offers with brotherly advice. "But, probably, there's only just a little hope for you there." Trowa teases, just thinking of Dorothy Catalonia.

"...You're probably right." Quatre concedes with a smile as Trowa leaves.

_"Surely anything can happen under the bright sunlight...all traces of pain could certainly disappear from sight..."_

Quatre lets Trowa's advice and those little words of hope carry him over to where two young ladies were playing volleyball in the water.

"...Is it okay if I join in now? Even though I'm so late?" Though the voice was still a tinge weak, the words were spoken boldly. He actually made eye-to-eye contact with the girl staring back at him with something in her glassy eyes...something...like high expectations...

"Certainly. What were you waiting for? An invitation?" Dorothy's voice was every bit as biting, as per usual, but behind the voice were eyes filled with almost...a pride...

From his distant view Trowa was almost sure he could hear Quatre snivelling out an excuse.

"No, no, not at all! Why would you think I was waiting?" No doubt, in answer to one of Miss Dorothy Catalonia's imposing questions.

Trowa found himself smiling at Quatre's tumultuous love antics--and then the smile becomes serious at the thought of his own...

Cathrine's bright eyes pressed this thought on him as he walked towards her...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: A Delicate Bloom**

SPLASH SPLASH!

"Whee!" Cathrine's sploosh-splashing was quite a view to see. This, in odd moments, responsible young woman now took the opportunity (now that everyone was on the other side of the beach somewhere) to use the ocean for what it was intended for. A young girl on a land-mass Colony rarely had the chance for the water splashing fun she once knew.

"Hey, Trowa! Trowa! Come on in! It feels awfully good!" Cathrine calls out. The first moment of feeling ashamed for acting like a little child at play passed now in her flurry of enjoyment.

And why shouldn't Trowa be a part of that enjoyment? After all, he was like a brother to her.

Trowa, however, didn't quite see it that way. Cathy's long legs gave him the definite impression of someone far different than a little child.

"Cathrine, aren't you maybe, moving around too much?" He comments on her hopping dizzily about, worried she might slip and fall.

"I'm all right, Trowa! I love the ocean! I came here often as a little girl!" Cathrine recalls with fond laughter those days of pure joy and excitement. "Roll up your pants and come on out with me, Trowa! It's so much fun! I want to show you the little joys and pleasures of life! Let's put some color on your face!" She cries out invitingly. But Trowa's slightly shocked and withdrawn look at her makes her wonder.

"Oh, honestly! You're as unsociable as ever!" She breathes out, frustrated. "...But, Trowa, why not have some fun once in awhile? It'd be good for you! Where else would it be easier to put a gentle expression on your face than here!" Cathrine giggles out, lifting her skirts above the waves below, gently splashing at her bare feet.

"Oh, yes?" Trowa's expression was almost as near laughter as he could get. "But I really don't know how to do that..." He says with that touch of emptiness only one with his nameless past could experience.

_Oh, perfect! _

Cathrine thinks to herself of her often-too-straight circus partner.

"No way! What kind of thing is that to say! 'I don't know how'? Come on! Everyone knows how to smile!" The convincing smile on Cathrine's own bright face turns ditzy as an index finger rises to her pursed lips.

"But actually...actually...after all, when I think about it, when have I seen Trowa's face smile?" Cathrine queries to herself aloud. "Um..."

"What?" Trowa's lovely green eyes open wide at her strange observation.

"Mmn-hn...It's nothing!" Cathrine covers up her silly thoughts and ramblings.

She considers him, standing there. His sea green shirt was blowing in the wind, unbuttoned around his muscular chest. Those tight jeans showed off his masculine legs quite...nicely...

Cathrine idly wondered how such a perfect specimen of physical build and looks could all be wrapped up into one package she called "Trowa Barton."

And yet there was something of mystery about him that intrigues her every sense--inside and out.

_Aren't you just the most fascinating man I've ever met..._

She giggles the thought as he begins to walk back towards the beach.

"Cathrine, we should be getting back soon." Trowa gives up his question, deciding that maybe something in the fragrant, salty sea air was getting to Cathy's delicate sensibilities.

"Yes..." Cathrine sighs that all the fun would be ending--but it was really about to heat up. "All righhhhh--!"

Her bare feet go slip-sliding in the sandy, wet shoreline. She lets a clipped scream fly out along with her filmy skirts.

SPLASH!  
CLUTCH!  
GRAB!  
HOLD!

"Are you...all right, Cathine?"

_Trowa's eyes--Trowa's beautiful gorgeous eyes are looking down on me--Me!_

_So close I can feel his hot, sweet breath in my hair._

_His strong chin pressed against my head._

_So tight---his arms about me in a powerful embrace..._

_What's this?_

Cathrine feels her breath escaping her, with a terrible beating in her chest almost causing pain--but it was a wonderful sensation--the kind of pain that one could look forward to, and could cherish on sleepless nights.

_Why? Why is my heart pounding like this?_

Cathrine tries to catch her breath.

"Th--th--thank you, Tro-" She attempts to say, but the sound of her voice was washed out by the splashing waves crashing at both their feet.

The thump, thump, thumping inside both of their hearts drowned out any noise the water and wind may have been making.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...

"--wa..." Cathy whispers. Her lilac eyes grew so wide she could envelop Trowa's entire face in them--and that's just what he wanted to do too.

Pulling her slender body close to him, Trowa feels the sudden, urgent need to touch her, to hold her, to capture her lips.

The kiss, the embrace inside of a lover's second lasts for an eternity.

And though her mind knows not why, Cathrine's pounding heart in her ears told her what to do. She leans forward on her tippy toes and up willingly into his entrancing warm lips and heart stopping embrace.

Her entire body realized finally she had been longing for this--for him, for more...

SLAP!

"Tro-tro-trowa!" The shock in her voice came from somewhere inside the heart of the little girl who wanted the world to never change--the world where she had a little brother who needed her help--not the world where she had a man who needed her touch...

"What made you think to do that all of a sudden!" She lets out a surprised gasp, pulling herself back away from his tender embrace, aghast at what had just occurred.

_I'm glad that was just a gentle slap..._

Trowa thinks almost humorously. The red hand print still on his cheek though told quite a different story.

"Does this mean you're ready to go back now?" He offers her an escape out of this situation (and perhaps one for himself as well).

"Are you just going to walk away!" Cathy cries out, flustered and red-cheeked as Trowa turns away to leave.

"For now...until the time you won't think of me as 'brother' anymore." He says enigmatically over his shoulder, a laugh in his eye she had never seen before today.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...

The beating thundering in her chest was as loud as an elephant's stompings. She tried desperately to make it stop, but how could she?

How could she stop her heart from pounding when he was looking at her like that!

_Trowa...Why is your face laughing...at me?_

It suddenly dawned on Cathrine that his teasing smile was kind of a taunt at her, kind of some sort of something he found funny that she couldn't understand. Something he now held over her...

"Wait just a minute, Trowa!" Cathrine calls out, not caring who heard anymore. (They all, fortunately for her pride, were totally absorbed in an interesting match of water volleyball--5 players was one too many after all and Duo was voted to be the net for quite a noisy and frolicsome row)

"Right now!" She chases him out to the shoreline's edge. "Explain the meaning of what just happened!" She calls out after him.

"I don't understand it myself all that well." Comes Trowa's once again mysterious reply.

That just didn't cut it with Cathrine when she needed her questions answered on such a pressing subject.

"Oooh! Fine! Be that way, Trowa!" She finally cries out, frustrated that he continued to walk away and leave her to stew in her own questions of what just happened--and what was beginning to happen between them.

Cathrine suddenly realizes that somehow things were changing...

And as desperately as she wanted to keep their pleasant brother/sister thing going, life was changing...

_Between me and Trowa...and our relationship..._

_But what it is exactly neither of us understand, do we?_

_I don't understand! _

Cathrine feels her heart about to burst open wide. "You're laughing!" She vents her pent up emotions on his disappearing form, shaking two fists in the air in anger at him.

"Don't try to hide it from me, I can tell!" She screams out at the top of her lungs, rushing to the very edge of the shoreline--

And falls splat on her little tushie. No one was there to catch her soaked to the skin behind and drenched skirt this time.

_But I liked it when you caught me..._

_I liked the feel of your arms around me..._

_I liked your lips..._

Lost in her own delirium of the moments just passed, Cathrine continues to sit there, not seeming to notice her wet dress.

How could she? Not when there was so much more to think about now. The sunlight peeking through the clouds lit up her heart's way.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The White Cliffs of Catalina**

A woman with honey gold hair shakes her bobbing, ringlets and twirls side to side. Frustrated, she places both sturdy hands on her ample hips, wondering how she ever got into such a situation.

All around her, the kids were--

_Po, stop talking to yourself like you're an old bag!_

--ahem, the young people, were enjoying each other and the day.

_There. That's better._

Sally Po's "old" eyes scanned the group laughing and playing volleyball while others were splashing about in the water, or sunning themselves on the shoreline. After all, what was the beach for if not to find the simple pleasures in each other's company and have a bit of plain, old-fashioned fun?

"Fun? I don't think that's a word in Chang Wufei's vocabulary." Sally Po grunts aloud, with a snicker. Her gold curls bob over yet another rise of similarly colored sand dunes in search of her missing "partner."

_But could Chang Wufei ever truly fulfill that role for me--either in duty or...something else?_

Sally wonders, her mind wandering from the seeking out of her fellow Preventer partner on duty today. Instead, she lets the sea breeze take the usual burden of responsibility from her stiffened shoulders and carries her eyes up, up to the sky and the blazing sunlight above...

And there her blue eyes catch glimpse of both that and her heart's target. It was the unmistakable profile of a familiar man standing motionlessly. The wind was blowing through him and his dark ponytail, on the tallest cliff that Catalina had to offer.

Even from where she stood, far far below on the beach, Sally Po could plainly see that neither duty nor fun were terms Wufei's freedom-loving soul was intending to toy with today, judging from the phased-out, meditating look on his brow.

And what Wufei intended to do, Wufei did. Sally was getting pretty darn tired of having to make excuses for his slacking off on the job frequently.

_Especially when it comes to dealing with the public...oh yeah, Wufei's a real people person, smooth charmer kind of guy._

And although she herself had personally scouted this scenic beachfront and surrounding area around the Catalonia villa for any threats or immediate danger exposed to the vacationing Vice Foreign Minister, she had found the place clean.

_Spotlessly...to a fault in fact. Senator Catalonia seems to be the only inhabitant of this side of the Spanish isle. I don't blame them. Who'd want to have her for a neighbor, anyway?_

Sally was not about to let Wufei just sneak off and leave her high and dry with all the work. She wasn't going to let him off so easily.

_Besides, Mr. Chang, I think you owe me a dip in the ocean._

Sally looks down as she strides purposefully towards the cliff. She peeks in her buttoned up Chinese style jacket to the little bikini she had purchased when this particular mission was suddenly called up.

"We're here now. Might as well have some fun." Sally says aloud to the salty winds as she lets them carry her up the winding trail to the white cliffs' edge above.

The ocean.

Entranced was a good word for this star-crossed warrior. But maybe "preoccupied" would be a better analysis of Chang Wufei's forever embroiled state of mind.

Perhaps for some people, if not most, the endless blues of the crashing waves brought a sense of peace and calm to one's heart and soul. But not Wufei. No. The ocean waves were nothing but a reminder to him. A reminder of a past battle lost--of a duel he was bested at--of a man who defeated him.

Not once, but twice...

_I should have been left alone to sink to the ocean floor and die. But would that have been a warrior's death? _

Wufei's tormented mind's questions are interrupted. His fighter's acute senses tell him that someone was approaching from behind, and it was someone he neither feared, nor wanted to see.

_Woman._

"Wufei..."

The no-reply was something Sally was quite accustomed to, so she continues to talk to his unfriendly turned back facing the cliff's edge and the sea.

"You know there IS a reason why WE were assigned by Colonel Une to come here."

_Yeah right. Great assignment. And ordered by LADY Une too. Protect the pacifist weaklings. I REALLY should have been left to die on the ocean's murky bottom._

Wufei's depressed mind makes a rebound. Sarcasm was the one and only thing that could hold him onto this side of the line his mind so often tread upon--and Sally Po was the master of causing Chang Wufei to be sarcastic.

Inwardly he smirked, but outwardly he never twitches a muscle when some movement down below on the beach catches his hawk-like, black eyes.

"You don't have to worry, Wufei. I took care of the recon and made a complete surveillance on the east to west areas of the grounds below..."

Sally's low voice drones on. Wufei no longer hears a word of it (as if he ever did anyway) as his eyes slit, then go wide, then slit again as they continue to remain fixed on the view below. He ignores Sally entirely as the waves crash against the cliff.

"Look. It was a lot of trouble to get you here. Don't you want to play like the rest of your comrades? Let loose and have fun, maybe once in a while?" Sally offers, deciding to get off the lecturing speech with the hope that Wufei might actually agree to come and act his youthful age for once in his whole, entire, bottled-up life.

_Sounds like something a woman would say._

"We didn't come here expecting to PLAY." Mr. Chang says in his oh-so-condescending way. He seemed to say it with a vengeance, accompanied by a disgusted grunt that Sally was not exactly privy to know why just yet.

"The ocean is the ONLY thing I'm interested in looking at--and that's all." Wufei states matter-of-factly. His gleaming black eyes and lacquered black head look straight up and pointedly at the ocean, and the ocean's crashing waves alone.

_Weaklings all._

"That's unfortunate. It's the season for crowded beaches and people in swimwear." Sally comments idly to herself mostly. Her eyes gaze away from Wufei's rigid form, his jacket blowing in the wind. She looks down to her own stiff, jacketed form. She decides to just do what she's always done throughout her life.

Darn it all and go for it!

Sally unbuttons her jacket and reveals her own rather revealing swimwear...

_(I hope the children don't see me...)_

"Wufei, why don't we go for a swim together?" Sally bravely calls out to the back of the man's head. Wufei first goes all stiff-like, then his head begins to shake as if he were nervous or...

Frozen in place for a moment, Wufei Chang is, for once in his life, at a loss. Something in him wanted to look back at Sally's voluptuous bikini-ed form--and yet, he didn't want to look.

He wanted to seem interested--and yet he desperately didn't want to interested. At all. No way.

_What is it about women? What do you expect from me? All women are trouble, that's all I know. ALL WOMEN ARE ALIKE! Their weakness makes even strong men weak. WEAKLINGS ALL! Why don't they just leave us alone! The strong will survive even if the weak deem to try to tempt us. I don't want to be weak! I don't want to swim! I don't want to play! And I don't want you! Get away from me, Woman!_

Tentative, Sally could sense Wufei's immediate stiffness. She quickly wraps her jacket around herself again, not knowing what to expect as the Chinese man in an obvious fluster spins at blinding speed. He, without so much as a word, stomps past her and down the cliff's winding path in a confused huff, leaving Sally Po alone with much the same confusion left on her innocent face.

"...Wufei...?" She murmurs, the look quizzical to the empty sky. Wufei was long gone but for one swift moment, if Sally was as observant as she believed herself to be, she saw something like...doubt cross Wufei's angry-at-the-world eyes. He had purposely averted them from her as he stormed past.

"Hmph." She sighs, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head as once again, her hands go to her hips. "I wonder what go into him?" Sally wonders aloud to the sky as she wanders over to the cliff's edge that Wufei was so firmly planted on.

She gazes up to the beautiful, clear blue, letting it wash over her. And the sky might have answered her if her eyes would care to glimpse some of the weaklings at "play" on the hot sands below.

The clear, scenic view of husband and wife was obviously too much for Wufei Chang's "delicate" sensibilities. It sent his male, machoism over the edge.

However, Sally was too absorbed in her own thoughts to notice Noin and Zechs frolicking, enjoying the crashing ocean waves on the shoreline below.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Game, Set, & Match**

**The score was tied. On the opposite side of the beach, the "friendly" game of volleyball going on was not proving to be so sedate.**

**In fact, it was on the verge of becoming downright aggressive--if Miss Dorothy Catalonia had anything to say in the matter, that is.**

**"Miss Relena, we didn't realize you had such hidden talents in the athletic field. You just keep getting better and better. I am impressed." The dripping with honey goo words that slither from Dorothy's mouth were almost too much to take. Between her "witty" comments and the heat in the broad noon sunlight beating down on her head, Relena could feel rather faint. Should she just give up the match?**

**But the thought of the resulting snide commentary and gloating, accompanied by the smirk that would no doubt emerge from Ms. Catalonia's face was more than enough to make Relena Darlian want to beat her--and win the game.**

**However, that didn't exactly seem to be the same premise Relena's volleyball partner was playing with. Really, if one didn't know how dogged and tenacious Quatre R. Winner was--especially when he was challenged--one might come to the conclusion that he was, well, letting a lot of the balls that had come his way slide.**

_**Oh, well. **_

**Relena lets that particular ponderance go as well as she prepares to serve the ball in her hands to the opposing team.**

_**That just means I have to try even harder! The next point wins the game.**_

**Relena smiles in determination across the "net." Duo had gotten tired of posing as the net. He literally swore up and down that both Hilde and Dorothy were purposely smacking the beach ball straight into his head.**

**It's amazing what Duo Maxwell could think up of string and buoys when he was anxious to get out of "work"-- and away from the pair of vicious girls. He scurried away after making the makeshift net as fast as he could go from them.**

**Now, at first Hilde didn't welcome being partners with Dorothy Catalonia--but when Miss Relena had kindly taken the sheepish looking, Dorothy berated Quatre under her wing, there was no other choice.**

**And Hilde was stuck with the blonde vixen whether she liked it or not. For better or for worse and though Hilde was loathe to admit it, it looked like, in this game, it was for the better.**

**Dorothy was proving to be quite a go-getter.**

**_She could sure belt those balls across the net--even if she's got a rotten personality. _**

**Hilde thinks to herself, smiling at the opposite pretty blue eyes of Relena who was about to serve the volley directly at her.**

**Hilde could intuitively tell that the ball was seconds away from slamming into her court...**

**Relena's delicate, soft girlish palm slaps the ball at full speed right towards her opponent...**

**"Thank you, Miss Relena." Dorothy intercepts Hilde's ball to Hilde's frowning chagrin. Swift as the sunlight trickling over her pale shoulders, Dorothy takes aim at her own target across the net. Intense competitive fire burns in her misty, indigo eyes as she goes in for the kill.**

**Quatre Raberba Winner was directly in her sights. He had stayed thus far pretty laid back and intimidated. He had let Relena do all their team's work.**

**_So let's see what you're made of, Quatre Raberba Winner. _**

**If Dorothy's eyes could cackle, they would be.**

**"En garde!" Dorothy states, staring Quatre down in the eye as the ball zings across the net towards him. There was challenge in her every movement and eyebrow, aimed at him...**

**A challenge Quatre Winner takes up. Relena was pleasantly shocked to find her heretofore inactive volleyball mate rise to the occasion. His own aqua eyes squint in determination he had kept dormant in the game up to now.**

**And Quatre makes a valiant dive at the purposely hard spiked down ball. His willowy looking little hand smacks it so hard that Relena was afraid the air volleyball might burst.**

**But no, it did not. The ball went shrieking across the net, through the air and...**

**SPLASH!**

**Right down smack in the water before Dorothy Catalonia's amazed face. Water splashed up all over her golden leopard bikini and torso, and up to her previously taunting face. She slips, attempting to counter it, but instead goes down into the water.**

**"SCORE!" Hilde, even on the losing team, couldn't help but get excited out of Dorothy's embarrassing defeat. **

_**Besides, she looks so darn funny all wet and dripping! Just look at those wilting eyebrows! Ha ha ha!**_

**"We won!" Relena happily sings out. Her exuberant innocence was her most beautiful and gracious feature as she splashes up and down, clapping at the victory.**

**"Quatre, you were wonderful!" Relena congratulates her friend giving him a friendly sweet hug around his neck.**

**"Well...I..." Quatre looks down with a blush. He wasn't quite certain what had gotten into him. He had been determined from the start that he wasn't going to play very hard. After all, this was just a friendly game he was participating in with the girls on a pleasant vacation. It didn't really matter who won or lost. It was just him, with Miss Relena, Miss Hilde, and...**

**Her.**

**Her and her beautiful, challenging indigo eyes...**

**"Ha ha ha ha, hee hee hee! Look at Dorothy, Duo! Come see! You look like a wet rat, Miss Dorothy!" Hilde could no longer contain her teasing laughter.**

**Indeed the water dripping down her face and flattened platinum blonde hair was a sight that could make a cat laugh.**

**Hilde wished Duo was there was to see it. Snooty proper Senator Dorothy Catalonia, looking all soaked and drenched, even caused Miss Relena's courteous mouth to twitch and let out a stumbled giggle as well.**

**The only one who wasn't laughing at Dorothy's piteous state was the one who had caused it. Quatre quickly wades over to where she was standing and shivering in a shocked, mortified state.**

**"Miss Dorothy! Forgive me, I--" Quatre begins to apologize profusely to her shock of wet hair.**

**"--lived up to your name, Master Winner. It's about time. You were beginning to disappoint." Dorothy's voice comes out sullenly from somewhere beneath her hair. She closes her eyes tightly for a moment. Something inside her desperately didn't want to meet his sea of aqua.**

**_Not right now...not yet._**

**"And congratulations to you too as well, Miss Relena. Let's hope this victorious winning streak stays with you in all your competitive bids." Dorothy finally lifts her head towards Relena. There was a knowing smile in her politically intuitive eyes as to what the Vice Foreign Minister had in store for the next upcoming days.**

**Dorothy then haughtily throws her defeated head up in the air at Quatre and stomps off. She was unsure of both her feelings and her footing, she trips over Duo Maxwell's buried-in-the-sand form as she goes.**

**"Watch where you're steppin'! OUCH!" Duo's loud yelling could be heard across Catalina Island.**

**The pleasant afternoon was quickly waning. Relena and Hilde joined lonely looking Miss Po, who had indeed gone for a swim but without her Chinese partner, as their last hour here comes to a close.**

**"It's so sad when you have to leave such a pleasant, pretty place as this." Cathrine Bloom finds herself just as she had been before, as if in deja vu, but now the opposite.**

**She and Dorothy Catalonia were, both inexplicably leaving one another unquestioned as to how they each ended up drenched and wet, and were both undressing out of their little swimsuits and into more regular traveling clothes.**

**"I always feel that way when the circus has to leave someplace behind where we laughed and played and had fun with all our new friends." Cathrine, the circus girl, muses, trying to take her befuddled thoughts away from the "fun" she had this afternoon on the beach that her still palpitating heart didn't understand.**

**_Oh, Trowa! How am I going to face you? _**

**Cathrine shakes off the uneasy anxiety as she finishes blow drying her freshly showered head and with with a dazed smile, offers the golden dryer over to its similarly showered owner.**

**"A circus? I suppose there could be some similarities. I DID entertain several clowns today, I'm sure." Dorothy dawdles in drying her hair, comparing most if not all the male visitors on the island today to clowns.**

**_That is, of course except for the one who really is one._**

**"That Trowa Barton of yours is really quite a well-mannered man for a clown, if you don't mind my saying so." Dorothy only added that little last politeness by political rote. She had been accustomed to speaking her mind ever since she was the tiniest child--and getting away with it too. **

**"And extremely good looking too." Dorothy herself muses now, gazing out her balcony, leaning over, inconspicuously, in her black velvet bathrobe, to take a peek at the tall man who was just returning, at full stride. Against the sunsetting sky, he was quite a figure to behold. His firm, yet artistic jaw was set, an agile, yet thin muscular form, tall and stately--the chestnut shock of hair was alight with the last rays of sunshine, and reminded Dorothy so much of that strong, heroic prince from her childhood fantasies...**

**"--if you don't mind my saying so..." Dorothy whispers again, noting the way her little circus girlfriend hops up, somehow knowing that Trowa was nearby. Her nimble feet trip over to Dorothy, peeking over her shoulder, clutching at the velvet arm, hiding a bit, so that, childishly, foolishly, she would not be seen by him.**

_**Foolish child. If you're in love with him, why don't you just admit it...?**_

**Even Dorothy's ever-so-practical mind could not keep her own heartbeat from skipping out of place for a second or two from the next sight she sees.**

**Although, by no means of the imagination, was the sight of smallish, scrawnyish, skinnyish and short, Quatre R. Winner, one bit as breathtaking as his predecessor, Mr. Barton, in swimwear, however, there was something quite...interesting...about him.**

**And though Dorothy Catalonia watched his yellow hair catch fire in the basking sunset and wanted desperately to find out what that "something interesting" was--**

**She was absolutely terrified, and determined to never know.**

**And so, both young women, both in total denial to what their heart's were telling their stubborn minds, look at each other. They steel themselves to face those certain men again.**

**Not a single word was spoken. Each had a different tact on how to handle the situation. Both decided now what to do, despite their fluttering hearts...**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: All Good Things...**

**"So there you two are. Our little group was beginning to wonder what happened to you today. As if we couldn't imagine." Dorothy's most insinuating eyes and voice glance Milliardo and Lucrezia up and down. They had somehow snuck back into the villa unawares and out onto the jet's landing field. They were now changed, and ready for the flight.**

**_And not a single hair out of place, Mr. Milliardo..._**

**Dorothy thinks evilly to herself of the pair standing before her.**

**"Uh...yes...um..." Milliardo was so cute when he stumbled over words. He shook his guilty hand out of his wife's clingy one as they strolled in the sunset one last time.**

**Lucrezia bites her lower lip to stop the chuckles at his sweetness from ensuing.**

**"The scenery was very...stimulating." Noin fills in her husband's lack of words. Zechs clears his throat several times now that he was safely back in his all-business suit.**

**"I'm sure. Glad to be of service." Dorothy answers her in like. She too, enjoyed watching Mr. Milliardo squirm a bit.**

**"I'm glad y'all think so! I've got sand in places you won't believe!" Duo Maxwell drawls out in his coarse common way. He knocks sand out of his ear by smacking his very empty sounding head and lets the sand drip out the side onto the runway concrete.**

**"Careful, Duo! You might knock your brains out that earhole, too! Not that he has that much to start out with." Hilde shrugs her shoulders, giving Duo's "empty" head one final volleyball practice smack.**

**"Ouch!" Duo shakes his now spinning skull.**

**"There! We don't want to get sand on Quatre's nice clean plane. Just leave what belongs here, here, Duo." Hilde says mischievously, plopping her "light" HSK (Hilde's Survival Kit) two-ton bag in Duo's empty arms. She gives Dorothy Catalonia a look from far away.**

**"Try and tell that to Quatre. It's good advice." Duo whispers back, catching his "boss'" drift immediately, despite the "rocks" now freely rolling around in his head.**

**"You got that right." A low, female voice enters Duo and Hilde's little inside joke. Sally Po, now feeling more herself back in a button up shirt and slacks, comes up from behind them with two bags in her overloaded arms.**

**"Hey, has anyone seen one snivelling little black snake AKA as my partner, Chang Wufei? When I didn't see him back at the villa I figured he must've high-tailed it out here to the plane already but---"**

**Sally walks down the steps of her craft with the question of her partner's whereabouts etched on her face.**

**"No, but I can't imagine that he'd want to stay on here." Trowa says quite logically. He didn't agree with Wufei's cruel assessment of Miss Catalonia but he understood the man's ways.**

**"You could say that again." Wufei's voice suddenly appears out of thin air from behind the roof.  
Cathrine jumps a mile into the air out of fright. She was lucky Trowa's experienced arms catch her cute little self this time. Cathrine smiles up at him in that grateful, SISTERLY way again. Trowa sighs, but smiles back at her.**

**"Why are you all just standing there? Let's get going, woman. I'm driving." Wufei orders about in his macho way. **

**Sally rolls her feminine eyes, but she knew Wufei was probably planning on flooring it. He would do anything to get away from this despicable island full of despicable people to babysit, and the despicable Senator Dorothy Catalonia most of all...**

**And just get back to real business---**

**Like fighting.**

**Speaking of Dorothy...**

**"I have never seen such a beautiful shoreline, Miss Dorothy. And your villa is so very---" Relena Darlian was a politician through and through indeed. She complimented Dorothy on everything--from her house to her hospitality, and now she was moving on to the natural ocean and beach scenery. That, contrary to popular opinion, Miss Catalonia had no part in beautifying--yet.**

**"We've got to get going, Relena." Zechs interrupts his little sister's lap-dogging comments. He, although Noin had kept his attentions elsewhere for most of the day, had had more than enough of Treize's little cousin for one day.**

**Noin elbows her husband's blunt rudeness to their hostess.**

**_Spoiled primadonna._**

**Noin smiles falsely at the blonde girl.**

**"Of course, big brother. I suppose, all good things, as they say, must come to an end..." Relena gives Dorothy, though Zechs shudders at the thought, a rather sisterly hug and kiss.**

**She had grown quite fond the woman, despite their past encounters. Dorothy was her friend and that was final.**

**"Yes, isn't it sad. You will all be gone and I will be alone in my big, empty villa. Such a shame, isn't it?" Dorothy, on the other hand, was not exactly thinking entirely of her friend. She thought she'd give cute QRW one final chance to redeem himself after today's escapades.  
After all, if she could have the Winner heir all to herself, for a night or so...then maybe...she could use her undeniable powers of persuasion...to mold him into the man she wanted him to be. The one he should be...**

**And not the innocent child he still is...**

_**Perhaps...**_

**But before Dorothy gets the chance to acquisition Quatre, Relena spins around. A pleasant thought had entered her head spun out of friendship for Dorothy.**

**"I have a wonderful idea, Miss Dorothy! You know you're invited to the palace for next week's gethering? Well, why don't you come now and stay with me until then? I would be ever so grateful for all your exquisite taste and good advice as to putting the final touches on the decor, my dress, what's to be served...Please say you'll come and stay and help me. I do value your advice so. And with Milliardo and Noin leaving to go back to their Colony building tomorrow, I won't be lonely if you come. Please, Dorothy?" In the midst of Relena's pleading speech, Quatre had been "saved" from a fate worse than death by his friend who generally held reign over it.**

**Duo spirited the poor boy away by the nape of his neck and collar, pulled and dragging onto the Winner private jet. It took off into the darkening sky before Dorothy could say a word.**

_**Fine, Master Winner. Run away. That's perfectly fine with me. It's all an illusion anyway--just a silly illusion.**_

**Dorothy turns a smiling face back to the similarly inviting one of someone who DID want her presence.**

**"Thank you, Miss Relena. I pride myself on assisting anyone in need. And you are my dearest, most dearest friend. You are quite welcome to my excellent advice and services on such formal occasions and dos in advance. I'll meet you there then! See you tomorrow!"**

**"Miss Lucrezia, Mr. Milliardo, I'll see you off at the Sanc Kingdom on the morn. Morning is my absolute favorite time of the day. I positively shine most of all then. Ta ta!" Dorothy happily calls out, waving them goodbye as Zechs stops Noin halfway up the stairwell.**

**"Noin, when is our shuttle leaving for Mars?" He whispers in his stealthy voice.**

**"Very early tomorrow morning." Noin replies.**

**"Thank goodness for that." Zechs sighs. He and Noin finally board the plane as Relena waves back. The jet soon lifts off into the darkening sky towards home.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Putting on the Trimmings**

**As promised, Dorothy Catalonia showed up bright and early the next day. The morning sun rising on the Sanc Kingdom glowed and shone on her platinum blonde hair.**

**But it wasn't only she that was glowing. She had arrived from her private golden jet to her golden private limousine. Indeed, everything in the Sanc Kingdom today was glowing--from the perfectly groomed, well-kept outdoors to the well-swept cascades of endless stone concrete steps leading up to the palace's carved statuesque doorway.**

**Old Pagan always did a fine job of keeping the groundskeepers and servants who tended to the caring of the castle and its roomy scenery in check. He didn't want the Princess to worry her pretty little head about the small, little nuances such as these. No, she had far more important things going on inside.**

**"So, which set of jewels do you prefer for tonight, Relena? The multi-faceted diamonds with the sterling silver settings? Or the perfectly flawless opals with the beautiful gold settings? Hmm? Now, give me your honest opinion. A lady's feminine instincts on which jewelry to wear with which dress always shows her character to other people. Don't you agree? Hmm, Miss Relena? Of course, it is your decision in the ultimate end..." Dorothy says with a critical eye falling on each set of earrings and necklaces in her hands. **

**Her fickle mouth twitches distastefully first at the tiny diamonds set on the unartistic silver backings. Miss Dorothy had a taste for the largest, most expensive jewels. She didn't care for the old-fashioned heirloom type of things. Then she examines, clucking her tongue, I suppose there's no other word for them, gaudy black opals whose only saving grace was their gold settings.**

_**Did I mention I love the sparkle of gold? **_

**"Hmm?" Relena herself was lost more in the golden rays of sunshine and big, empty sky it tiptoed through than the golden sparkling baubles Dorothy was sifting through.**

**"My decision...? Yes..." Relena lets the distant words trail off. The serene look on her searching face towards the morning sky changes into one of steely determination, and assuredness of the ominous task she was about to embark upon...**

**Alone...**

**And that quality was what Miss Dorothy found most attractive and invigorating in this Peacecraft child. **

**_Even if she has no taste in jewelry whatsoever..._**

**The vain Senator rolls her eyes as Relena, without much consideration, chooses the more gaudy opal stones from Dorothy's hand.**

_**Oh, well. At least they have a hint of gold about them.**_

**"Now, for the right scent..."**

**Primped, plucked and prodded at was the Princess, hours later.**

**"It is such a shame that Mr. Milliardo couldn't stay on Earth long enough to attend this important event for you--and the Peacecraft name as well. After all, it's not every royal monarch that has the chance to control the ENTIRE Earth Sphere Unified Nation and rule the world, is it?" Dorothy fritters with the final touches on her own gown and stiletto heeled shoes. She wore a black floor length dress with lace black stockings, and a choker of polished white pearls.**

**"Especially not twice." Dorothy's mouth was smirking as she "innocently" clasps her string of pearls around her pretty neck. She gazes at Relena seated at the vanity before her.**

**"Dorothy, you know perfectly well my intention is not to, by any means, 'control' the Earth Sphere, nor to rule the world. I simply find it my civil duty to help guide the body of delegates on our continuing path towards a peaceful future for the greater good of the people of the Earth--and the Colonies--as equal partners now as well. It's all in the name of peace." Relena, the representative Foreign Minister, was not known as a polished speaker for nothing. She, without even having to swivel her dark golden head around to confront Dorothy, more than easily settles, once and for all, that she, Relena Peacecraft Darlian, was a force to be reckoned with on the political arena.**

**And Dorothy Catalonia was planning to be present to watch the entire drama play out till it's victorious end--right by Miss Relena's determined side.**

**CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP**

**"You've certainly convinced me. You have my vote, Ms. President--or should that be 'Mr. President', considering the proper etiquette." Miss Dorothy wonders aloud in her over-sugary way. She for one, believed that though the retiring current President was always a pleasant man, he was not a member of royalty that Dorothy believed a true world leader had to be. And Princess Relena Peacecraft certainly fit the bill.**

**Relena smiles with a small unnoticeable sigh at her doting friend. But Dorothy catches that slight bit of dreamy sadness nonetheless.**

**She for one, did not intend to allow her feminine fluttering heart to miss it's male owner, and ruin this perfectly planned and promising evening. **

_**I made sure to cross off one timid, little Quatre Raberba Winner's name off the guest list personally. Hmph.**_

**Neither did she want the other young woman to have a longing ache in her heart. After all, if all went right during the announcement to seek election for political office tonight, she was to be the next President of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation's future...**

**That is...if nothing unforeseen goes wrong...**

**  
After Colony 197, April 8th.**

**As night falls, the hundred or so distinguished guests begin to converge upon the illuminated Sanc Kingdom's palace.**

**The dimmed lights, the soft music from the orchestra, the whispered conversations of passing pleasantries between Earth delegates and Colony representatives all await the arrival of the respected hostess.**

**And they all were anxiously awaiting her political announcement with baited breath.**

**"Quite a galley you have set for the Foreign Minister's annoucement tonight. I do believe that you have acquired even some of the most, let's say, hesitant, types of stodgy old representatives to attend this event. Here. Try one of these, Mariemaia, they're rather good." Lady Anne Une was no longer the woman she once was. Dorothy pauses in thought as she sips her cocktail, cocking her head with a small, wispy smile.**

**_If only you could see her now..._**

**Dorothy watches the once angry and jealous creature she never liked kindly dote over one man's child. Little Mariemaia Khushrenada smiled back up at the motherly gaze Lady Anne was showering upon this child that was not her own.**

_**I must tip my glass to you, Lady. **_

**Dorothy nods as she approaches the pair, marvelling at how Lady Anne, once one of those "stodgy" people herself, was now embracing the idea that Relena Peacecraft--the girl who once made an attempt on her life--would become the President of the E.U.N.**

_**Ah well, another time, another place. Another set of people...**_

**"Thank you, Lady. We do need all the support we can get." Dorothy whispers in Anne's ear as she takes up her black lacy skirts and begins mingling with the crowd. This Senator had taken on the unofficial role of being Miss Relena's "press agent."**

**Dorothy and the others look up to the front hall of the palace as the Princess herself is about to take center stage.**

**"Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for coming here today." There she stands. A small, slight figure--just a young girl--appears from behind the lavish hallway curtained entrance. She moves the large front room to where the party was being held.**

**Despite all her adornments and gold trimmings, and ominous high-ceiling palace she was standing amidst, Relena Peacecraft Darlian had more than beauty, more than charm and innocence in her style. From her puffed sleeved dress, to the glimmering opal earrings and choker, Relena had presence.**

**In the moment she appeared, from the first word that slips from her golden tongue, Relena Peacecraft had the command of the entire room. So much so that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone wanted to hear every word she said.**

**A pin drop---**

**Or a spray of bullets hitting the ceiling's plaster as a dozen or so masked men armed with large machine guns kick in the double doors. They rush in to ambush the party with weapons trained on the screaming crowd as the chips of white chalky plaster descend from the marred ceiling above...**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Epyon de Telos**

**"Who are you people!" Relena cries out in anger at the violent intruders. They were all wearing masks and dark black sunglasses. There were more than a dozen men, but Relena didn't stop to count. The one nearest to her, reflecting her face in his dark sunglasses, was staring her down.**

**His pale blonde messy bangs covered the parts of his face that the black scarf mask did not.**

**But she could tell that behind all that--this was a dangerous man. Her eyebrows knit at him and his team of thugs that had just moments ago stormed in, frightening her peaceful guests and friends for their own purposes.**

**Reasons of which were about to be laid out before the Pacifist nation's leader.**

**"We, 'Epyon de Telos', have now taken occupation of the Sanc Kingdom Castle. Our demands are as follows:"**

**Yet another army fatigue wearing man in a mask calls out, his voice deep, husky and loud, yet was as undistinguishable as his covered face.**

**The man continues stating his faction's demands without so much as an explanation as to the 'why'. But Relena was certain they would all be hearing that soon enough, considering the lofty ransoms she was listening to in exchange for their safety.**

**"...We demand: **

**The right to bear arms.**

**The release of our imprisoned comrades.**

**One-third of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation's budget as ransom."**

**The darker tanned blonde man states these three weighty claims, knowing full well that they were heavy, but if the lives of Miss Relena Peacecraft Darlian and her fellow pacifist political friends meant anything to the rest of the world out there...**

**The demands of the rebel faction group, now known as "Epyon de Telos" or "The Goals of Epyon" had just better be met--or else.**

**The blonde, paler man near Relena takes his cue and sticks the barrel of his gun in her fearful face. **

**"Make the call to the President of the E.U.N., Foreign Minster Darlian. And remember, no tricks, or else." He says threateningly, then aims his loaded gun at the ceiling again blowing several more berserk bullets into it. Plaster again showers down on the frightened, shrieking party-goers again. They all look to Relena for her answer--**

**And her protection.**

**Relena suddenly feels the weight of the responsibility she was hoping to embark upon bearing down upon her thin shoulders. **

**"If these demands are not met within 24 hours, we will detonate a NUCLEAR WARHEAD. That's all. Make your call." **

**Another dark haired man makes his voice heard, and hands Relena the receiver of the telephone in his gloved hand.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Mission Impossible**

**It was a fairly peaceful day. Well, quiet anyhow. "Peace" was something that was not in Chang Wufei's heart, nor his soul. But if you could call peaceful not having a woman in sight nagging or ordering or taunting him all day, yeah, this was good enough for Wufei.**

**And with his "commander", Lady Anne (_Oh, right, COLONEL Une, sure...) _wasting her time attending some pacifist bunch of political hacks' meeting in, of all the wonderful places in the world, the Sanc Kingdom (**_**Pacifist weaklings!). **_**And Sal---Woman--off in space doing some routine scouting check-ups of the Earth's atmosphere (_Dawdling again, lazy woman...) _well that didn't leave many higher-ups stationed at the Preventer's headquarters---except for him.**

**Yes, Wufei's ideal of a nice day would be some kind of deadly skirmish breaking out somewhere in the world where he could send some heads rolling. (Or at least a few arms and legs.) And judging from the call that just came in from that old man President in his safe haven in Brussels--it was going to be "nice" day for Wufei after all.**

**"Hmph."**

**"What! The Sanc Kingdom's castle has been captured!" Sally Po's first thought when Wufei had blipped on her screen with that grin on his face informing her quite happily that the Pacifist nation had just been violently seized by terrorists, well, she thought that he was just playing a practical joke on her or something.**

**Some sick sense of humor in his otherwise sick head she thought caused him to call on her lonely scouting mission to just say "Hi, I'm still alive, how about you?" kind of thing and tease. But the more Sally studies Chang Wufei's smiling face, she was more sure he wasn't kidding. And what he said next cinched that this was indeed reality.**

**"Yes." His smile broadens. "Shall we seize this chance to take over the world?" **

**_You really ARE sick, aren't you, Chang? _**

**"Yeah, real funny, mister..." Sally lets her eyes roll, but when they come back into their sockets, she was all business. "So how many of them are there?" The soldier/warrior in Sally was already grilling her partner for details.**

**"Just twenty." He says simply enough as if twenty armed and dangerous men were no threat to a Chinese dragon clan warrior such as himself. "If we forget about the hostages, I can go finish this right now..." He doesn't say that with as much humor as Sally would have wanted. That certain tone in his war-like voice let her know that he was absolutely serious here.**

**"No way! That's just not acceptable!" Sally screams out, finding that this was the only way Wufei heard anything she ever said. And she wanted to make good and sure he didn't just do as he liked in this most delicate of situations.**

**"Think of another way!" She barks at him as his commanding officer. Just by seniority that is. Sally knew full well that Colonel Une was in attendance at that party in Sanc. With Noin and Zechs both gone back to Mars, a planet or two away, that just left Sally and Wufei in command of the Preventers, to take reigns on this situation that was well beyond escalating.**

**"All right..." Wufei pauses dramatically, but Sally knew him so well (poor gal!) that she knew he already had another option in mind even before he had contacted her.**

**"Then can you call for backup?" **

**This wasn't exactly what Sally had been expecting. Wufei Chang was not the type of man who ever needed nor wanted help or aid from any man. Especially nothing from the rest of the Preventers he had thus far done all but shun when training them.**

**_Okay..._**

**"How many do you need? I can get two hundred people together within twenty hours." Sally starts to rattle off the numbers. Her clicking fingers were pulling up information on her computer terminal's screen. She called up location and availability of Preventer units in reserve for such a crisis as this.**

**"No, by then the Sanc Kingdom will be a mushroom cloud." Wufei calmly enough answers, but Sally was not so calm as her black haired partner.**

**"Then, I'll get a hundred in eighteen hours!" She calls out at him.**

**"We hardly need that many..." Wufei closes his eyes, taking a breath before he chooses his next path.**

**"Five--including myself--will be more than enough." **

**"FIVE? Only five people for this situation!" She screams. **

**_Are you nuts?_ Sally thinks, a sweatdrop appearing on her disbelieving cheekbone. _How can you hope to accomplish this mission with only..._**

**"Yeah..." Wufei's slit like eyes open and look straight into her astonished, skeptical ones with a strength of belief that Sally has not seen in him in a long time. It was the same look she had glimpsed in each and every one of those five faces--those boys with the inextinguishable spirits who could do anything--once they set their minds to it...**

**_Those Gundam pilots..._**

**"I'll tell you where to find them..." **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Rounding Up the Troops**

**It wasn't exactly the kind of place that Sally expected to find a seasoned, experienced Gundam pilot in. A dump, AKA "Junk Shop" was not where she could think a trained, much honored in some, if not in most circles, "hero" after their collective efforts in saving both the Earth and the Colonies to become the place of peace they were today, would be.**

**A hero, such as Duo Maxwell is, in Sally's mind, if no where else, would be here. But there was a reason for that. It wasn't solely the fact that happy-go-lucky Duo wasn't exactly the most well-educated, well-mannered kind of guy that the world expected. No, there was a good reason why this self-described "God of Death" claimed this tiny, little garbage dump of a hole to live in as his home. And Sally Po considered Duo darn lucky to have her.**

**"Hi, Sally! Why are you--?" Hilde was, as usual, hard at work at her little desk. Her old makeshift out of junk parts computer was on the blink again. **

_**What did I expect? All of Duo's creations sooner than later crash or break or self-destruct or something!**_

**"Can I talk to Duo, Hilde?" Sally tries to keep her voice at a purposely calm level. She didn't feel it necessary to inform either Hilde nor the rest of the masses of the Earth or space of the crisis in the Sanc Kingdom---not just yet.**

**"Duo?" The word comes out of Hilde's mouth just as she gives her defunct computer an exasperated kick in the shins (if a computer had shins, that is.) and by some miracle, it comes back to life. The machine goes through its rebooting sequence. After all, Hilde and "Mr. Computer" went through this love-hate relationship almost on a daily basis.**

**Sally pulls her head back and cocks it with a smile in acknowledgement of the spicy little girl's stubborn, stick-to-it streak.**

**"He's..." Hilde seems to forget her wrastling with the computer, putting her full mind to Sally's question now that it was on the road to recovery.**

**"...not here." She finishes as she stands up, turning to Sally Po, with---what was that? Wistfulness? Guilt? Humor? What was it in those clear blue eyes?**

**_I guess you have to have a good dose of all of the above when dealing with that Maxwell boy. I've got to give you credit. _**

**Sally muses as Hilde continues to explain his whereabouts.**

**"He's wandered off, as usual." Hilde says. Her own smirk creeps across her cute face. "And he won't be back for awhile." She adds with a knowing, full-out, crooked smile.**

**"Then point me in his direction. I have an important message to deliver to him." **

**Hilde gives no spoken answer, but indeed does as Sally asks. She points her finger straight up into the air.**

**"He's...on the roof?" Sally questions, not putting any stunt beyond Duo Maxwell.**

**_Or any of those five boys, now that you mention it..._**

**"Something like that..." Hilde sighs, with that perpetual smirk still on her face.**

**Meanwhile, a Colony away, Sally's partner had yet another target on his mind...**

**Speaking of minds, that was the main reason he had come to fetch this particular individual in the first place.**

**CLACK!**

**The door to the high-rise office building opens and the air currents from the breezy long corridor of the hallway catches hold of several of the neatly stacked pages on the desk, blowing quite a few out of place. Some even cascade to the well-polished floor.**

**"Excuse me? Could you close the door? It's taken me THREE DAYS to read these files." The angered voice, the disturbed look on his face that didn't even greet the newcomer--this frustrated male attitude, were not exactly what Chang Wufei expected of perpetually kind, perpetually sweet, and perpetually caring Quatre Raberba Winner.**

**However, his demeanor did make Wufei all the more confident that his own statement to the woman about only needing these four others was right on the mark.**

**_I always am._**

**A smirk crawls up Wufei's own over-self-assured face.**

**"Got a lot of work to do?" The slit opening of his eyes and of his snakelike mouth hissed the sentence out as if throwing out bait---and waiting to see if his prey would gobble it up and get hooked.**

**"Wu--Wufei!" The all-serious, hard at work frustrated businessman that Quatre R. Winner just was, jumps up at the sight of the familiar Chinese man standing before his crowded desk.**

**Quatre himself knocks several more important files and papers to the ground as he stands up too quickly. So quickly, he could almost leap down Wufei's throat.**

_**Hook, line, and sinker...**_

**Wufei thinks as he folds his arms. "Something's come up. I was going to ask for your help. But if you're too busy..." Wufei lets the rest of the bait dangle off and closes his eyes as if he was preparing to turn and leave.**

**"What 'something'!" Quatre asks with all the excitement and enthusiasm Wufei Chang was hoping he'd still have. Even after turning into a bookworm seatwarmer up here in this oh-so-comfortable office, being waited on hand and foot by his little trained minions.**

_**That wasn't the life of adventure and justice seeking that all righteous Gundam pilots craved for...but this is.**_

**"I'm not going to force you. And...I have no time for persuasion. You come or you don't. It makes no difference to me." Wufei had this bad attitude way of dealing with other people. But that didn't matter to Quatre right now. He didn't care how it was stated. All that mattered---he was was wanted. He was needed.**

**_Me._**

**"You need me? Really?" The big, toothy over-excited grin of a little child wasn't exactly convincing to the warrior side of Chang's mind. But Wufei pushes that aside.**

**This was simply the outer cloak of innocent sweetness that his fellow blonde warrior kept as a mask over his true fighting spirit.**

**_I have glimpsed this in battle beside you, Winner. You possess something that none of the others have. Something that even I myself have strived for in combat---and far excel in now, of course._**

**Wufei can't help but add that self-flattery.**

_**You have the brains that can master any situation and Sanc could use some of those brains right now if it wants to survive this mess. I suppose even Pacifist nations don't deserve mushroom cloud status...I suppose.**_

**"You, more than anyone..." Wufei answers Quatre's eager query, thinking about all the other "anyones" with a committed sigh. **

_**Especially Maxwell...oh, ugh...**_

**"The trouble is in--" Wufei begins to explain this mission to Quatre but is cut off with big, enthusiastic eyes and smiles.**

**"I'll go! I'll do anything! You know, I was just thinking to myself, that this isn't really me." Quatre glances down at the pile of paperwork on the desk. This businessman suit, and tie and vest were just all too stifling for his free-willed soul all of a sudden.**

**After all, he had only ordered in all this extra work to be done because he wanted, for some strange unknown reason, to busily bury himself in his files--in his business. Right after his return from vacationing on the Catalonia Island--**

_**I mean, Catalina Island. Right, I did, really. **_

**And forget about his worries, his cares, and most of all---his love life...**

**"That's more like it, Mr. Gundam Pilot." Wufei gives Quatre a slightly pleased smile.**

**_Wow. That's a first from you, Wufei!_**

**He turns, without further ado on his heel and heads out the door, quite certain that one stuffy little weakling businessman was hot on his trail. And when Quatre slams the door behind them, Wufei is certain he walked out now beside a changed man.**

**A strong fighter.**

**CLACK!**

**The accountant in the other hallway was so wrapped up in his own paperwork obviously, that he didn't notice his boss' swift departure into an elevator that whisks the pair away.**

**The nerdy, eyeglassed man opens the door with his usual,  
"Master Quatre, here are the latest accounts---" **

**Just to find the blonde haired, blue-eyed young man absconded from his office tomb.**

**"Master Quatre?" The man wonders where he disappeared to. There wasn't a responsible note, nor forwarded audio message left behind. Only a cascade of abandoned papers scattering to the floor in his winded wake.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: More Players on the Stage**

**"She was right. Thought you'd be here." The low, droll voice muffled through the space suit helmet was the first sound coming to Duo Maxwell's ears for countless hours now. That is, beyond the little voice in his own head. This star-crossed orphan found his own brand of sanity (aka: insanity) in his incessant chatter to himself. His humor was infamous---and sometimes the only thing that kept Duo Maxwell alive. That--and Providence watching over his haphazard soul.**

**"Hey! Long time no see!" A pleasant, easy going sound was so happy-go-lucky that Sally Po couldn't stay angry at it for long.**

_**Who could? Duo Maxwell is Duo Maxwell. He's one of a kind.**_

**And that was the kind, right now, that she needed. **

**"I have a job for you if you're interested." Sally says, swooping down to where Duo was seated at the top of the Colony's outer sphere. He was, just as his little girlfriend had predicted, stargazing. He found the peace and tranquillity his tormented soul longed for in the infinite darkness of space and blinding glimmers of lights that made their paths through it. **

**Each star was on it's own orbit, predestined from when it was born, to when it burns out, by it's Maker. And this boy liked to watch them go, for he was yet another one of them. A lone star, blazing on his way to eternity...**

_**Might as well enjoy the ride as I go, huh? **_

**"He he he. Not if it's gonna be a pain." Duo teases in that drawling cowboy like voice of his. But Sally could see the humor of the adventure to come was already dancing in his big, indigo eyes that never once left the starscape they were trained upon.**

**"Believe me," Sally Po knew that was already this silly boy's way of sayhing "yes." If not in his teasing voice, then in his bright eyes that never seemed to dim, even when, in all the world around him, there was such darkness. Duo Maxwell had a gleaming light that came from within. "You'll like the reward." **

**Sally glimpses that indefinable light in his eyes again when the suited boy's eyes finally meet hers. Fun, goodness and adventure beamed from his brighter-than-the-sun smiling face. As the curtain of the stars glisten behind him with a holy light, passing the moon, as they gaze upon the Earth...**

**A Circus.**

**The banner sign posted upon the big top's entrance was as unpalatable as the soup Wufei was forced into eating. **

_**Hey, lunchtime is lunchtime. I do what my stomach demands of me.**_

**And it was just as simple as the girl who made the lunch for them. **

**"It's almost time for Trowa's act! Where is that boy! Pay attention!" Manager's voice could be heard on his bullhorn from his command base in the back of the big top tent where the boxes and crates piled up so often served as his office and conference room. As he ordered his makeshift troupe of performers and stage hands about, Manager was especially short tempered. His hectic scheduling of act after act, and getting them together, caused the older man to pull his hair out sometimes. **

**"You'd better get ready, Trowa, before Manager has a nervous breakdown." Cathrine (rushing to Trowa's side when Quatre and Wufei suddenly appeared at his trailer's door) had kindly offered to make them some of her homemade soup for lunch. Poor unknowing saps. **

**And now she gives the acrobat a small smile as she ladles out more soup into poor Quatre's already overflowing bowl. Wordlessly, Trowa does as commanded, leaving with a nod at her and then, a pair of resigned eyes at his fellow Gundam pilots. It told them that he was fully prepared to do what they had asked of him.**

**"Ummm...ummm...Miss Cathrine?" Quatre's voice doesn't quite break through the bouncing brown curled girl's turned head. She was so entranced with the man who was her circus partner walking away towards the camp.**

**"Miss Cathrine?" Quatre persists. "I think--I think I already have enough soup in my bowl. Thank you." Quatre says with a little nervous giggle as the brownish/tannish concoction Cathrine was spooning from her pot into his bowl begins to overfill the chipped piece of earthenware. **

**And down the crate they were using as a table, dripping onto his pants, that were, up to now, kept spotless.**

**Cathrine returns from her musing with a splattering start. "Oh dear! I'm sorry, Quatre! I'm so so sorry!" She grabs an already soaking towel off the table (she spilt the soup many times already, can you tell?) and begins dabbing and rubbing at the soup on Quatre's beleaguered legs and pants as if he were no more than a baby doll to her.**

**"I'm...fine. It's all right, Miss Cathrine." Quatre finishes the rest of the mopping up on his own. The scalding hot soup burns had already cooled as he smiles up at his ditzy hostess. **

**"Oh, Quatre! I ruined your pants! Maybe you'd like to borrow a pair from Trowa! I can go get a pair from his trailer." Cathrine offers kindheartedly, not thinking.**

**"No, that's all right. I probably wouldn't fit in them. I'm not quite Trowa's size." Quatre says with a considerate giggle.**

**Wufei rolls his eyes at this entire episode. _Hmm, women..._**

**"Oh, you might! If you roll up the pants legs a lot, because you're quite a bit shorter than Tro...wa..." **

_**Oh, darn! I did it again! I really put my foot in my mouth this time!**_

**Cathrine realizes a moment too late what she just said--that she had actually called the poor, sweet boy "short" and right to his face too!**

**"Oh, gracious me!" Her graceful hand flies to her naughty mouth in shame.**

**"No, thank you, just the same." With a pleasant smile still, Quatre R. Winner was never one to lose his composure. He worked hard at it sometimes and was quite accustomed to being referred to as short. Though usually no one ever dared called the billionaire playboy "short" by any means.**

**_Besides, my doctor says I'm about to have a growth spurt. But...it doesn't really matter...unless of course, it matters to...her..._**

**Quatre feels the blush crawling up his collar he had manfully suppressed before at Cathrine's babying fondling at the thought of the blonde vixen who haunted his every dream...**

**"All right. Let's go." Trowa Barton's calm, commanding voice enters the sticky situation. Both Cathrine and Quatre jump up. One was embarrassed at her poor treatment of Trowa's guests, the other just as embarrassed and sure glad to be out of here soon. **

**"Tro-trowa? Where are you going?" Cathrine stutters on the words. She knew what was coming next and she didn't want to hear it.**

**"I've already spoken with Manager, Cathrine. People's lives are in danger. Good, innocent people. Please try to understand. They need me." Trowa goes over to Cathrine, taking her now trembling shoulders in both his strong hands, giving her his strength as, for a brief moment, their eyes lock.**

**"I'll be back." Trowa wipes the tear that was already forming in Cathrine's eye. **

**"Promise?" Cathrine almost sniffles out the whisper, looking up into his beautiful face. **

**"I promise." Trowa answers. His heart screamed that he wanted to kiss her tender, trembling lips to give her the comfort they needed. But his considerate mind prevails over his heart. He wasn't so certain what Cathrine wanted him to be to her after their last kiss--their first--not so long ago on the beach front. But whatever that was, Trowa only knew that he wanted to be with her--no matter what it meant. And no mission nor danger would deter him from that forever where he could be beside his delicate beauty.**

**So, instead he gives her hands a final, reassuring squeeze and follows Quatre's lead. **

**_I wonder why he's so itchy to get going?_**

**Wufei was right behind the two.**

**_Hey! Don't leave me here with this sniveling woman!_**

**And he even manages to throw a quip at her, now feeling a safe distance away.**

**"And thank you so much for the thoroughly unpalatable soup." The Chinese man smirks as the group walks away, even as Cathrine gets up her ire, yelling at the pair who had just kidnapped and corrupted her obedient Trowa.**

**"Hey! If anything happens to my Trowa, I'll feed you that soup again!" She cries out in anger with her only weapon in response to Wufei's snide comment at her cooking. **

**Wufei shakes his head at the weakling creature, but Trowa smiles.**

**"Are you sure about this?" Wufei asks. He for one didn't pay any heed to anything any woman would scream out at him--but then again, he didn't have to come home to her wrath either.**

**"Don't worry." Trowa says, his exposed muscular arms tensing as he walks by the animal cages. "She's just being protective of me." The quiet, tall man concludes. He didn't always understand his relationship with Cathrine. She so often wanted to play sister/mother to the lost orphan boy, but there was one thing he did know. **

**She cared for him. And was the first, and only one in his entire lonely, empty life to do so. Freely, unselfishly, completely. And this No-Name would always call where ever she was--his home.**

**"There's only ten hours until their deadline. Let's hurry!" Quatre takes the lead out towards the paved road of a Gundam pilot's destiny--the road to being a hero...once again...**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Enter Heero Yuy**

**Somewhere on the grounds just outside the perimeters of the held-hostage Sanc Kingdom palace...**

**"Look. The basement of this pool connects to that of the Sanc Kingdom's castle." Quatre Winner's finger traces the underground stone corridor that made a path between this groundskeepers' outbuilding and the main castle's basement it was detached from. This old, worn with time cottage's unassuming face and proximity to the palace made it the perfect command center and strategic planning room, just in case any threat arose around or in the Sanc Kingdom.**

**Of course, an attack like this was to be expected. The peaceful pacifist Nation's beacon of light was the most prime target for each and every terrorist and threat to peace in the world. And though most of the complacent citizens around the world were not prepared for such an attack--some of us were.**

**_At least, Lady Une made some provisions here._ Chang Wufei "hmphs" crossing his arms as he listens to Winner explain the large open map on the table in the middle of the secret, underground complex.**

**"Isn't that where he hid the Wing Gundam once?" The Chinese boy murmurs, recalling from data history he had perused. **_**Penned by Preventer Fire during her early days as a member of the group. Weakling woman. Glad she's not here to mess things up, the bleeding heart.**_

**"Yes." Quatre answers. He didn't need to read files on this particular subject. Both he and Heero personally became acquainted with Sanc's secret underground complex that was large enough and well equipped enough to house several MS covertly -- **

**And yes, even a Gundam the size of Wing Zero.**

**Only he, Heero, Miss Noin and Pagan, the old faithful butler, knew of the secret entrance to Sanc that the street smart Belgian heiress along with Pagan had completed and updated during Sanc Palace's reconstruction a few years back. Not even the pacifist princess was aware that this complex even existed for a time.**

**And though Wufei doubted Relena Peacecraft's sanity--he sure hoped she had learned by now how, and when, to keep her mouth shut about such secrets. After all, their whole entire plan about to take shape on how to rescue Sanc and free the hostages, rested on the element of surprise.**

**Speaking of which, something that really wasn't a surprise...**

**"I couldn't find Heero ANYWHERE." THUMP! The door slams closed and Preventer Water (Sally Po) walks in with frustrated look on her worn face. She had spent far too much time on the search for a man harder to keep track of than the wind.**

_**Let's hope he hasn't gotten "wind" of the situation yet, either. The very last thing we need is one ballistic Peacecraft older brother on the loose--again...**_

**Sally didn't even want to think of what that could mean. _What you don't know..._**

**"Oh, Heero wouldn't sit still at a time like this." Quatre Winner didn't seem to be taking Sally's frustration at not locating Heero Yuy much to heart. He knew Heero well enough to know that he was a man of action more than words. A man who never flinched, never faltered, never wasted valuable time or turned a wrong step in combat. Heero Yuy was the kind of person they could rely on.**

**CLACK!**

**Another door hidden behind a false bookshelf clicks open. Wufei didn't need to look up to see who had just entered the strategy room behind him.**

**"Yeah, he's already here." **

**"Huh!" Sally was standing facing the table where both Quatre and Wufei had the looks on their smug faces of tomcats who had just licked their paws. **

**"So let's hear it." It wasn't either of their voices that answered her question. Sally swivels on her heel to see Heero Yuy's dark, foreboding eyes staring her down.**

**There was something about Heero that was unexplainable. It wasn't exactly his fierce look in those dutiful glassy eyes. It wasn't the wild, dark shock of brown hair that was tossed unconcernedly from bangs to scruff of neck. It wasn't the set jaw or even the no-nonsense way his rather short 5'3" frame faced you down. No, it more something about his entire presence--something in his monotone voice and sparse get-to-it statements that made everyone else stand to attention, well aware that this young man, that this hardened assassin had the heart of a warrior who could make anything happen, accomplish any task no matter how difficult. No matter how drawn out---And both Sally and Quatre knew that it was that denied heart that brought Heero Yuy to them today.**

**The heart of a fighter to protect his mate.**

**"Well," Quatre doesn't even bother to greet his fellow soldier. He learned a long time ago that Heero Yuy wasn't one for chit-chat or friendly repertoire, or even questions of how he knew to come or how to get here. (Never mind how he had acquired his Preventer jacket). Especially not when Miss Relena's welfare was at stake.**

**"Duo and Trowa are surveying the castle interior right now." The blonde boy says in a serious tone. Heero merely nods, taking a seat at the map table.**

**"I've made a little toy on the way here. It should come in useful." All business, that was Heero. He produces a little black box in his hand and presses a button on it.**

**CLICK!**

**"Point D here. No problems." **

**The voice on it was obviously Heero's but Quatre was pretty smart himself as he recognized what the little recorder's intent was.**

**"A voice coder." He says. Heero nods again. **

**"I see." Wufei works what such a device could do for them. It, no doubt, once attached to the enemy's own communicator would send out the new recorded voice message to the others in the terrorist's own simulated voice.**

**"It'll answer for the guards that we take out then." **

_**Pretty nice piece of technology. **_**Wufei smirks to himself at Heero's well thought out ingenuity as he palms the lightweight gadget.**

**"That'll sure come in handy." Sally nods. Her faith in Heero Yuy was not unfounded. **

**"Perfect. Thanks!" Quatre exclaims, glad once again that Heero was on their side. **

**The rest of their little team comes in the door just then. **

**"Whooo-weeee! That castle's been turned into a fortress! There's video cameras installed EVERYWHERE! Armed soldiers keeping watch in one hour shifts...They've got eyes in the back of their---Oh! Hey, Heero! Knew you'd pop up sooner or later, considerin'" Duo Maxwell's mouth finally takes a breather. It smirks from side to side after giving that fast and furious report of the enemy's holdings from his and Trowa's stakeout of their layout.**

**The smirk stretches as he stares into Heero's eyes. He was just itching to say something smart about the reason he was here.**

_**It's good-lookin' you came to save, ain't it? **_**He found some twisted pleasure in irking Heero as far as he could go.**

**"The problem is," Responsible Trowa Barton doesn't seem to share Duo's warped sense of humor in such a delicate and dangerous situation. He dismisses the teasing look on Maxwell's face as he and Heero both ignore the man entirely. "We still don't know exactly where they're keeping the hostages. If we storm in and the terrorists use the hostages as human shields or threaten their lives--we'll have to give up." The precise and articulate soldier that Trowa was is overtaken by the compassionate hero. He didn't want to have a single innocent's blood spilt, especially if they could find a way to prevent it.**

**"Unless we go in driving tanks!" Duo Maxwell cackles out his own frustration. Heero rolls his eyes as Wufei turns his back on the idiot.**

**"Nope. We don't need tanks." Heero and Wufei turn to look back at their strategist's calm words. Trowa, Sally and even Duo give the gentle boy all their attention. The next statement uttered from his lips certainly garnered that completely.**

**"Just the one mobile suit." **

**"A mobile suit...?" Heero says in that trained, deadpan voice. Since the end of the war, all MS had been destroyed, even their own Gundams. And new ones had been prohibited from being produced. Relena Peacecraft had voted to pass that bill into law in the United Earth Sphere Alliance herself. **

**"Of course it's a fake." Respected representative of Colony L4 knew the laws well enough himself, but a shell of an MS that didn't have any firepower or real usuable weapons didn't fall in the restricted range.**

**"But we made it look like Wing Zero exactly. No one would know the difference." Quatre's big toothy grin wasn't all that convincing a smile. Thinking how nifty at making in-scale recreations Abdul was becoming, under Rasid's tutelage of course.**

**"A FAKE!" Duo says incredulously. He had somehow been hoping their ace up their sleeve was a little more capable of destruction.**

**"Yes, all it can do is walk." Sally was in on this fraudulent Gundam's construction. But Duo still wasn't that taken with the idea.**

_**I'm all for stealth sure, but...a buster rifle or two wouldn't hurt as backup, huh?**_

**"Hey! Are you sure that's gonna work?" Duo airs his doubts, slinging his arms over his head like he does when he's really skeptical of something.**

**"Listen." All the eyes that were just glued to Duo's loud display of doubt are called back almost involuntarily by Quatre R. Winner's demanding voice.**

**"We'll prioritize human life on this mission. There will be NO casualties." Quatre states forcefully with emphasis on the words. The others watch him intently. "Of course," Quatre says thoughtfully, looking down to gather his thoughts. He wasn't used to being so forceful with either word nor deed. He was of the belief that most conflicts could be solved by talking things out and coming to compromises--most conflicts.**

**"We won't allow them to use that nuke either." He finishes his statement, looking to each face around the table with the intense sentiment. In turn, each one looks from Quatre to one another with what he had just aggressively stated in their minds.**

**Ah, the plan.**

**"I have no objections." Heero finally gives his nod to the plan after a long, uneasy pause. "But is that possible if we don't use force?" Heero wasn't always one for the direct approach, but even the indirect approach usually ended up with some casualties. **

**"Just listen to me." Quatre demands. Everyone was at first shocked at his unusually aggressive stance and voice. It was as if, even more than his compassion for human life, Quatre had something further at stake here...**

**"First, Trowa gets into their monitor room and sends a dummy image to all their monitor screens." The strategist at last. Quatre takes his team step by step through the ingenius plan already well plotted in his eager mind.**

**"It's dangerous, Trowa. But only you can do it." Quatre says, half apologetically, half proudly to his best friend.**

**"I don't mind. I'm pretty good with tightropes." Trowa modestly states his phenomenal acrobatic skills. **

**"Good." Quatre smiles, glad for his support as his tactical mind moves on to the next step.**

**"Meanwhile," The strategy chief turns his golden head around to face the Chinese boy. "Wufei, you and Sally, as government employees, take the ransom over."**

**"And this is where I get killed." Sally picks up her part of the plan that they had already discussed. Quatre nods. **

**"By Duo, who's pretending to be a berserker soldier." **

**Sally can't help but smile at that particular thought. It was little too close to the truth in Duo's case. **

**"Sure! That'll cause a RIOT!" Duo picks up on their idea of shooting Sally much to eagerly for any sane person's sake.**

**"The timing will be crucial." Quatre continues explaining his plan. "Wufei MUST get away in the scuffle so that he can unlock the secret entrance to the Sanc Castle from the inside and let me in." **

**"Oh, I know that part." Wufei states.**

**"Hey, Wufei." Duo sidles up to Wufei's chair, elbowing his shoulder playfully. "You want me to use REAL bullets?" Duo whispers mischievously, evilly, with a wicked heh-heh and a wink under his breath.**

**"Hmph." Wufei mutters, his own evil snide smile creeping across his face. He understood Duo's drift exactly--and a few choice words would make sure Duo got his drift too. "I might end up killing you first if you do." Said in a hiss, it was a blatant threat. An out and out "You hurt my woman, I'll hurt you" kind of statement that Duo was a little...stupefied...to find such passion for another--a woman no less--so obvious in Chang Wufei's macho demeanor.**

_**Sally Po? Well, whatever suits your fancy.**_** Duo gives Sally a raised eyebrow look. She cocks her head at both he and the lacquered black hair China boy she has become...close to.**

**"Wufei will remain in the castle and meet me as I make my way through the basement. There we'll walk in this underground shelter." Quatre was now using a pointer on the Sanc Castle's schematics on the location where he and Wufei would meet up at underground.**

**"Duo will probably be confined as a rebel--" Quatre is cut off by Duo's gulp.**

**"Probably!"**

**"That, or get killed on the spot for ruining their plans." Trowa "helpfully" reasons out, crossing his long arms seriously.**

**"Gee, thanks, Trowa. That sure helps my psyche." Duo mutters sarcastically.**

**"So, wherever they hold you, we'll hope that Miss Relena and the others will be there, too. Then you can signal on your hidden communicator to Trowa and Wufei and I below as to where the hostages are being held. We can all sneak in and rescue --" **

**"And if they don't put Duo in with the other hostages?" Heero, quiet up till now, was forever the pessimist. He found, through all his years of combat and war, that generally the first, best laid plan--was not the scenario that really happens. And in a scenario where Relena was concerned, Heero wanted every contingency covered.**

**"That's why we've prepared the fake Wing Zero." But Quatre R. Winner was ready for Plan B as well, it seemed. He turns to Heero with full focus now. "You'll pilot it and say that you've come to stop the terrorists and bring them under control." Quatre was using his hands now to act out the scene. "They'll probably say, 'Wait! We have a nuclear weapon! You'll be killed to!' to try to scare you off. And you'll say 'So what? That's my girl. Life's not worth living without her.' When they hear that, they'll run to the nuclear shelter." Quatre's wriggling hands scurry down the map's main corridors in demonstration of running baddies.**

**Duo looks to Trowa and then to Wufei with a blank look. "Either that or they'll call Dr. Hearts and Flowers, the love psychologist on the tube." Duo quips one too many times as he receives a backhanded smack in the jaw by the "psycho" patient Heero he was unfortunately perched on the table beside.**

**Ouch.**

**"Even if they buy it, they might not take the hostages to the shelter." Wufei too, was a pessimist. All that talk of "My girl" and "love" of Winner's got his male macho ire up now. **

**"If we play our cards right, they will buy it." Sally gives her partner a pair of strict eyes. **

**"And then we can lock up the shelter and save the hostages at our leisure." Master Strategist Quatre comes to a flourishing end. "Does everyone know what they're doing." He asks as Sally goes to a locked cupboard, punches in several numbers on the keypad, and removes several machine guns and small firearms that were in the place of several broken and chipped teacups and saucers. **

**She hands each man a loaded revolver complete with silencers, knowing full well that every one of them was expert in dealing with such deadly weapons. **

**Even the cutest and sweetest of them, Sally marvels at how versed with the weapon Quatre was. He pulls back the cock and double checks the bullets with the precision of a seasoned veteran. Cute, yet deadly.**

_**We're depending on them to be just that. Deadly, even without their machines.**_

**CHIK!  
CHIK!  
CHIK!  
CHIK!  
CHIK!**

**The sounds of five guns at the ready, the nods of five soldiers brought together for a dangerous mission. The looks of raw determination in each set of their five steely eyes. Conflict, war, battle, destruction, death--all are unnecessary in this world of peace. Unnecessary, unwanted, and yet needed for freedom loving peoples to exist in this world. **

**"Okay? Perfect!" Gold leader Quatre looks into each of his compatriot's eyes. They all saw in each other's reflection just what they must do. **

**"All right! Let's go!" He cries out with a nod. Each young man races to his part of the mission. After all they only had a few hours left to accomplish the impossible. **

**But they've changed worlds in less.**

**"Mission commenced!" Heero Yuy states with the determination of a man whose entire life was at stake in this one. If not his own---**

**Hers...**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Slipping Between the Cracks**

7:30 PM CET

The sun has well set on Sanc's usually glistening shores. But tonight, Sanc was not shining as the small beam of light it was. The masked men guarding its tall, stately front entrance, wearing darkened sunglasses, were certainly obscuring the light from within the glimmering palace.

Dark men with dark purposes, though the darkness of night itself did not aid them tonight. Against the dusky skyline where no sane man would think to look, an agile acrobat, minus his own signature mask, makes his way across a "tight rope" he and his trusty speargun had expertly fashioned, silently unseen right over the terrorists' heads.

Trowa Barton always had an uncanny sense of balance. Yes, his tall, thin frame and muscular lean body were perfect conduits for such feats of nature. But for one so young, it wasn't years upon years of training that made him the star acrobat he had become. It was something inside, something that, though this No-Name boy had no idea from whence he came--he certainly knew where he was going.

And he was good at walking that tight rope. Delicate, expedient fingers and precise placement of a diamond cutting tool, make the glass circle he had so deftly carved, fall out into his hands like putty. His other ambidextrous limb snaked inside the sharp hole and unlatched the window with ease.

Inside the empty room, Trowa Barton stealithy makes his way down the hallways and stairs. He had the schematic of the Sanc palace's main communication control room in his head. That was where he was banking on that the terrorists had no doubt set up their video camera systems through the already in place, com unit installed in several checkpoints throughout the castle.

And once again, this fortuitous boy is correct. The three masked and bespectacled guards stationed in the Sanc Communication's room were not just watching the ball game on these several monitored view screens before them. Three of them with AK-27 high calibre machine rifles slung around their burly shoulders.

Trowa peers around the corner with the air of a professional spy on his every soundless and sightless entry move into the cordoned off room.

_After all, three is my lucky number or so they say..._

POW! PUNCH! KICK!

Without so much as a scream, nor a warning sound, the three guards go down. Trowa knew instinctively just how to hit someone enough to go down and stay out for the duration--without being dead.Now that's where the true skill lies.

_Any man can kill another..._

Trowa lets his mind wander ever so slightly as he watches and waits for his prime moment to switch a few monitor screens to the dummy image embedded on his computer zip disk.

_Any man can save another's life..._

The commotion of the masked men downstairs all converging with their machine guns upon the front door of the palace told this fellow mercenary that his fellow teammates were right on time.

Trowa quickly checks his timed watch, pausing half a moment, seeing Cathrine's pretty face in his mind. And then he pushes the dummy disk in, which immediately blips a false image onto every terminal monitor being watched in the entire castle. So smoothly in the confusion of the guests at the front door, not a single guard watching had noticed the switch from real time to the recorded security checks in each area's now false vid-screens.

_I'm getting pretty good at that, too._

Trowa muses to himself, false information being spread falsely by a man with a false name.

_Then fine, laugh at me._

His mind considers this as his hands drag the three unconscious terrorists to an unlocked palace storage room nearby. He swiftly and nimbly gags and binds all three miscreants to some iron pillars inside the room. Switching the lights off, he simply locks the door behind him.

_I'll be home soon, Cathy..._

Trowa smiles at the thought of her innocence as he slinks down the hallway into the shadows once again. The guards in the second corridor hallway didn't see him once.

"Epyon de Telos?" A low, female voice calls from the outside of Sanc's large, double doored entrance.

"By the book..." Sally mouths wordlessly to Wufei. She knew all too well that Chang Wufei understood both her and their mission that Quatre Winner had conjured up completely---but that didn't mean he'd listen to either of them.

_Well, I can dream, can't I? _

Sally almost loses that dream, when out of the corner of her eye she catches that flat, elongated bulge peeking at her from inside Wufei's pants.

_No way! You didn't bring your sword! I confiscated that back at the---_

It occurs to Sally just then that the sneaky Chinese boy had doubled back without explanation just as they were leaving the Preventers' complex she had taken his naughty blade away in.

_I thought it was strange that you had to go back, Mr. Iron Kidneys..._

But before Sally could wipe that "ha ha, I won this round" smirk off Wufei's face, the cacophony of machine guns cocking and loaded ready just behind the door takes all their attention.

"You have the ransom money!" An angry male voice calls back to her through the still closed doors.

"Yes, we do!" Sally yells back.

"How many are you!" Another anxious terrorist screams out.

"Just two!" Sally answers, looking to Wufei. After all, as anxious and as nervous she herself was going into a situation such as this, she did find some kind of...reassurance...in Chang Wufei's unwavering black eyes.

They weren't exactly there to give her strength or anything romantic like that. It was for himself and himself alone that Chang Wufei lived--and survived.

"One big woman. One small boy." Yet another voice from further inside calls. He was obviously their watchman on the outside closed circuit screen camera aimed right over Sally and Wufei's heads out front.

_Oh, great start..._

Sally starts, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Not for the remark of her being "big", though to a woman that was by no means a compliment. But the crack about Wufei being a "small boy"...ouch! That hurt Wufei's big, manly pride.

But to Sally's surprise as the door opens, that perpetual smirk remains fixed to Wufei's face, as if he were plotting something instead. Payback, for instance, for later on.

_Whatever, Chang. Just don't mess this one up. A lot of people's lives are at stake here. _

Sally nods. There was an all-business look on her face as she scans the faces of the sea of uglies crowding around as the one dark one, leading the front, ushers them in.

His open machine gun never left his hand as he closes the door behind the pair.

Plan A. Set into action now.

"We have your ransom money." Wufei states what's inside and takes a step forward fearlessly towards the crowd of a dozen or so armed welcome committee members.

Calmly enough, the members of Epyon de Telos look the pair of Preventers up and down. Very calmly, until---

"HEY! That's not all of it! That CAN'T be all of it! That much money wouldn't fit in those four small suitcases! You're lying!"

An insane, crazed voice rings out of the nameless, faceless crowd of masked men in scarfs and fatigues. A crazed voice that normally Sally Po and Wufei Chang would be frustrated to hear in such a surprisingly, convincingly, unbalanced state.

But today, it was music to their ears.

"Well, yes. This is only the first paymen---" Sally takes her cue and begins to explain, walking boldy forward towards the "berserk" soldier causing all the ruckus from the sidelines.

"No CODS, lady! We want it all NOW!" And with that, the berserk terrorist lets his machine gun rip. Sally Po gets peppered with several rounds of bullet hits and she goes face down on the ground before a bunch of his fellow terrorists grab Duo Maxwell and yank the smoking gun from his hand.

Sally's blood was oozing out from her all over the front hall.

"What are you doing! Are you nuts! This isn't in our plan! You fool!" The man who had told Sally and Wufei to come in screams at Duo. He had played the "fool" rather well, though. Well enough, in his mumblings and rantings of "Epyon de Telos taking over the world!" and "We will be victorious, brothers!" and "Go 'de Telos'" stuff to confuse the group assembled into believing he was really one of them. So intense and over excited, it seems his marbles had just come loose and were cracked.

Just long enough for one Chinese boy to slip through his own cracks, unseen...


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: A Pacifist Labyrinth**

_Those better have not been real bullets, Maxwell, or..._

The honorable part of Chang Wufei, the noble Dragon Clan warrior he claimed to be, did not like this part of the plan. After all, running away and leaving that woman for "dead" (literally and figuratively) was not exactly his idea of honor.

But desperate times called for desperate measures--and Sally could take care of herself. That was something that Wufei both despised and desired in Sally Po. Her strength---but that is for another story.

Wufei trots up the steps, taking the "indirect" approach of karate-chopping only two guards unconscious as he flips off the wall beside them. And then he presses both hands on a certain panel of a certain floor in a certain room. He double knots and ties to a wall unit's secured girder, a length of rope and, as per instructed by his strategic planner, like a jelly bean, he without hesitation, plunges headfirst down the dark chute it reveals. Rope in hand, Wufei dives forward into the unknown blackness.

Down...down...down...

Supposedly, this led to a secret passage to the underground shelter that was, thus far, sealed off. Quatre R. Winner, as planned, was already down there and awaiting Wufei's arrival with the length of rope that they'd both climb back up.

Quatre was only sure it was Wufei Chang from the sound of his familiar voice coming from the dusty man exploding from the secret chute. And it was uttering such cuss words that Quatre was taken aback. His pale head blushed from ear to startled ear.

"Whose damn weakling idea was it to have me #? with a blooming rope just because the noisy as hell elevator would arouse suspicion, dive into a #!# hellhole of a damn pacifist weakling castle to save a bunch of Peacecraft flunkies anyway! DAMN!" Wufei was so angry to have been dragged into this whole, stupid pacifist mess that he could spit. In fact, he could scream injustice that would ring throughout the entire empty underground shelter complex surrounding him in the stark darkness.

_Oh, never mind. I'll make all those weakling terrorists pay dearly._

Wufei's evil eyes gleam maliciously in the darkness at the "fun" thought of chopping off a few heads--or fingers, at least.

_After all, I did manage to sneak my sword along today. _

"Good job. Let's get going, Wufei." Taking the rope and securing its length to the steel post he had just hammered into the ground (as quietly as possible) Quatre was almost fearful to interrupt Chang Wufei when he was so terribly angry at the world. But Quatre R. Winner had a mission to accomplish and so he could face anything--anyone--if only to rescue his fair princess, like a knight in shining armor. Dorothy Catalonia's beautiful face flashes through his determined mind.

7:48 PM C.E.T

With the terrorist's 24 hour deadline clocking down to less than 1/2 hour--27 minutes, 23 seconds to be exact--Quatre checks his synchronized watch for yet a dozenth time this hour since he and Wufei had started down this long, dark corridor within the underground basement. While they were making good time, even in the total darkness on foot, (They didn't dare switch on the underground lighting system. The sudden energy spike might cause some suspicion up above that they didn't need.) Quatre was still a little anxious about their timing. There were only 27 minutes...and 03 seconds left for he and Wufei down here, Trowa and Duo upstairs and Heero, still outside, waiting at the ready--to save both the hostages and a big chunk of Northern Europe from nuclear fall out if all went wrong today.

_But it isn't going to go wrong. It just couldn't. Not with all five of our hearts understanding and at peace with one another and what we must do!_

Chang Wufei did not sound like he had a peaceful heart. Well, right now, anyway, as he continues to swear under his breath. Still shaking the soot and dirt from he orifice of his angry ears.

"Here!" Quatre stops them both short on their silent trek with a halting hand. "The indicators are a bit touchy from all the high voltage that once was used down here, but if my calculations are correct and the maps are precise, we should be directly below the palace's main drawing room. Considering the areas you specified as under heavy guard and considering the amount of people taken hostage, that room must be the one Miss Relena and others are being held in."

"How can you be so sure?" Wufei asks. He had to give credit to the man if he was right about this. There was more than a hundred catacomb like paths in this underground network that even the most trained map reader and guide would find difficulty tracking down such a precise target so succinctly in such a short time.

"My heart tells me I'm right." Now that spacy, dreamy response was not what Wufei was looking for. Technical jargon about the indicator, yes. Even ideas, theories, superior hearing range, something, anything, but not "My heart tells me..."

_What is this! A tactical advance or a carnival show!_

Wufei wasn't too sure anymore.

"According to the interior maps, there is a large ventilation duct in the east end of the drawing room. We just have to climb our way up to it. Are you ready?"

_Winner comes prepared..._

Wufei had to admit it. Quatre produced 2 mini grappling hook devices from his stocked up service belt and hands one to Wufei.

"Why not?" Wufei grunts aloud as the Winner heir shoots his device straight up. With a tug, he knew it had grasped hold of something and Quatre is up and scaling the steep enclosure.

A shrug later and his Chinese compatriot is right behind him.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Inside Job**

7:53 PM C.E.T.

Handcuffed and bound in a dark closet...

"Heero was right again, of COURSE." Duo Maxwell didn't like the fact that Heero Yuy was almost always, from the first time they met till the last time they battle enemies side by side, right about every little thing.

_How the heck did he figure these damn guys wouldn't put me in with the hostages! Geez, the guy's so right about everything all the time it makes me sick! Everything! Except, that is for..._

Where he lay on the closet floor, Duo lets his sieve like mind wander away from his agonized "how-do-I-get-out-of-this-mess" thoughts for a moment to consider just what was at stake here today on this mission.

_In about twenty-five minutes, if those dang terrorists don't get what they want, the lower half of Norway will be a fizzled out wasteland. As the God of Death, it wouldn't be so bad to ride out of this world on a black billow of radiated smoke. Hell, though, it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the good people of Sanc. You wouldn't want your precious princess to go out with a big bang, would ya, Heero?_

Duo smiles, knowing inside (who didn't know?) that super man, inhuman, Mr. Know-it-all-Soldier Heero Yuy had this thing for the good-lookin', pacifist princess named Relena.

"So, if she's in danger, we've just gotta stop these jerk-offs. Right, Heero? They might've confiscated all my guns and weapons, but I might have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Duo Maxwell, the crack thief, was pretty good with his hands. Especially when they were all that stood between him and his freedom.

CLICK CLICK.

"What handcuffs were made that could stand up to me! Hah!" A hair bobby pin could always double as a lock pick and since Duo Maxwell was blessed with enough hair to hide hundreds of pins in, locks were no match for him!

_Now for the door and those two ugly, scarred doofuses outside it...Hmmm...Can't utilize my mini grenades just yet. The radar would pick that up for sure. So what's my next move? _

But Duo doesn't have to wrack his brains on that one. Those two ugly guards' heads he could see through the peek hole in the door soundlessly go down without explanation, as if they had both just nodded off to sleep.

Or maybe, someone unseen on the outside had induced sleep on them from somewhere above...

No longer under guard, a quick lock pick was a cinch and Duo was out the now open prison/closet door he'd been caged in the dark.

He steps over the two guards downed bodies and looks around in amazement to thank whoever had just aided his "jailhouse" breakout. But no one was in sight.

"A miracle? I know the Lord works in mysterious ways, but heck! I don't reckon he'd K.O. these fellas just for me. But then again, maybe it was a winged angel. After all..."

So Duo looks up to where angels usually come from and finds one was indeed hovering above his head. More like an avenging angel who was hanging quite complacently upside down, with a thick shock of auburn brown hair standing straight down from his handsome face.

"So ya came to save me this time? Guilty conscience from a past mission, old buddy?" Duo sarcastically jibes as the superhuman acrobatic wall-crawler unhinges his agile legs from the ceiling overhang he was perched upside from.

Two muscular arms had, moments ago, snuck up from above and obviously kwashed the two guards' heads together.

_Pretty good work if you can get it, Trowa, old boy._

"Yeah. Something like that, Duo." Trowa Barton's usually expressionless face was a joy to see any emotion on. And Duo Maxwell knew how to make even him smile.

"What time do you have?" As he lands feet first after a graceful flip down, Trowa's brief smile turns all serious. He was one man who could focus on what's most important in a mission.

And this one was full of important things.

"Uhhh...7:59 and uh...41, make that 42 seconds. We've got less than fifteen minutes to make this sucker fly. Do ya still think we can--?" Duo was prattling on as per usual, as he strips the two downed guards of their firepower and quickly slipknots their arms and legs. He gags their unconscious mouths as well. But just as he finishes the last gag around the man's head, the terrorist's own communicator flashes red, beeping to life with his commander's checking in voice.

"De Telos 24. Report."

Duo makes a cringing face as he looks to Trowa with gritted teeth. Trowa expertly attaches their own little black box to the unconscious man's com. It simulated his voice from prerecorded data as Trowa speaks calmly back into it.

"Prisoner's secure. All clear here. Over." Trowa states emotionlessly. A long second passes.

"De Telos 2. Over and out." Comes the reply. Duo sighs a big sigh in relief. He was sure glad level-headed Trowa was here to handle that so precisely.

"Let's thank Heero for this little gift." Duo whistles as he and Trowa exchange a nod. Both of them knew how to thank Heero Yuy.

Relena Darlian's kingdom needed rescuing and they were just the men for the job.

It was getting pretty stuffy inside the drawing room---and Senator Dorothy Catalonia wasn't talking about the temperature.

Of all the cattle (_Pardon me, Honored Guests) _only she, Lady Anne and less than a handful of others being held hostage were even dreaming of a rescue attempt to save themselves. And Dorothy Catalonia didn't just dream---

She grabbed hold of her fate with both clawed hands.

"Why are we just sitting around! We should be doing something about this! Not just twiddling our fingers!" Even the Senator's twiddling fingers were twitching as the same with every nerve ending in her reactionary body. And that didn't even begin to describe her evil eyebrows.

From where she stood, Dorothy had a plain view of the hostage takers serving as keepers of the sixty plus inhabitants of the room, and she still had enough boundless energy to question and "why" and "how", much to her captive audience's chagrin.

After all, what could they do about this situation? They were helpless, unarmed, untrained, mostly women and elderly group of normal citizens. And the ones willing to do something wouldn't put the rest of the room at risk.

Responsible hostess and peaceful leader Relena Darlian didn't want to find out.

"Dorothy. Please come and sit down. You'll only cause trouble for everyone by making a fuss." The pacifist that Relena Peacecraft was fearfully thinks of what these terrorists would do to these innocent hostages if Dorothy continues to stir their anger.

Even Relena could tell that the half-dozen guards watching them under threat of machine guns were having their short tempers no doubt worn thin by Dorothy Catalonia's annoying pacing up and down the room, along with her incessant demands to be set free, or for them to abide by the Fifth Geneva Convention's rule for proper treatment of hostage, and the like.

"Yes, I agree. The last thing we want to do is incite them now when their fervor is at a fever pitch. We've only twenty minutes or so before things start to happen. We must remain composed."

_Elegantly..._

The thought passes through her mind. Lady Anne who had somehow found her way through the crowd of hostages sits beside Relena Peacecraft Darlian. Little, wide-eyed and quiet Mariemaia Khushrenada sits on the other side of her. Lady Une feels the weight of the world again on her once unstable shoulders. And though she herself was here as an unwillng part of this hostage crisis problem, Colonel Une knew from experience that a solution was on its way. She just hoped and prayed they would get here on time as the clock continues to tick by.

The three on-off enemies/friends look deep into each other's eyes with the same sentiment of hope.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: It's About Time

7:59 PM C.E.T.

"Psst! Psst!"

"Huh? What was that?" Lady Une looks around. Both she and Relena exchange a look for the hissing noise they were sure they both heard.

"Oh! Lady!" Mariemaia's high pitched whisper exclaims suddenly. "There's somebody down there!" The orange haired little girl tugs at her adopted mother's long sleeve, pointing a stubby finger at the dark grate on the floorboards underneath their bench chair, in the far corner of the room. Even Dorothy Catalonia sat silently, albeit with complaint.

"Where?" Dorothy, Relena and Lady ask in disbelieving, hushed unison. Their three gasping heads duck down, following the girl's pointing finger, under their skirts and legs to the source of the "Psst" hissing noises that had been calling for their attentions.

"Ohhhh--"

Lady and Dorothy both slap a stifling hand over Relena's surprised, yelping mouth. The two-got-it-together ladies quickly peek back up to make sure the guards in their vicinity didn't hear the exclamation.

Satisfied they didn't, Lady Anne and Dorothy's head swing back towards where Relena and Mariemaia were both staring intently.

"It's about time someone did something, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy Catalonia was the first to speak. She recognized "Master" Winner right off, even through the small hole this ventilator grate provided them as a talk through opening.

"Hello, Miss Dorothy." Is all Quatre manages to say. His take-charge demeanor of a moment ago goes all soft and squishy before Wufei's rolling eyes.

"Are my Preventers on this situation? Is the castle surrounded yet? How many are you?" Lady turns into the no-nonsense Colonel again at the sight of what could be their only hope out of this mess. For both she and Dorothy knew that where one Gundam pilot was---

The others wouldn't be too far behind.

_Well, let's hope so, anyway._

"Yes. No. And at the moment, five."

_Any voice but that one, please..._

Lady Anne finds herself cringing at the thought of one Chang Wufei at the helm of her Preventer team. She wondered where Sally Po had gotten off to about now.

"Five! This is a hostage situation! A potential nuclear crisis! We've got about fifteen minutes and you're telling me you've only assembled five people? Where's Sally! You'd better have a damn good plan, Wufei."

Lady berates the so-often obstinate member of her group. Her vented, frustrated anger only made Wufei smirk at her and her feeble-minded femaleness all in one.

"I was all for wiping Sanc off the map. But my friend here had another plan more to your liking, Lady." Wufei baits her, but Lady Anne just lets it go, focusing more on what intellectual Quatre Winner had to say than chauvinistic pig Chang's rantings.

_I don't know what Mr. Treize ever saw in you..._

"Well, what is it!" Lady asks the blonde boy's clear boy eyes gleaming in the darkness.

But out of the corner of his eye, Quatre catches sight of one of the guard's eyes on the gaggle of girls who were strangely bent, doubled over their skirts, acting suspiciously...

"No time to explain! We just need some kind of diversion to get their attention so Wufei and I can sneak in and secure the room without any unnecessary bloodshed!" Quatre spits out the whisper. His and Wufei's faces vanish and the grate cover were replaced in the flash of a wink. Just in time, too, as the four female heads peering down at him were now joined by a male head--and a decidedly unkindly male head, in a threatening black scarf and equally threatening black gun, cocking in his big hands.

"What's so interesting down there, ladies?" The gruff voiced guard muscles his way in, pushing past Relena and Mariemaia, knocking the thin, little waif right off the bench and peered at the grate they were just having a conversation with.

"Cough, Relena!" Dorothy conspiratorically mouths to her best friend, just before her own head snaps up, the smarmy smile already in place on her theatrical lips.

"The Foreign Minister's condition!" Dorothy Catalonia was an actress indeed. She did her family name credit as she motions her frantic hands to and fro like a woman possessed. "You people have aggravated her delicate condition and we can't find her pills! Do something already!" The Senator's shrill voice shrieks in panic. Loud and deafeningly noisy enough for everyone of the five guards stationed around the room to come running to her state of utter alarm. Not a one of them spot a deftly manuevered Quatre Winner and Chang Wufei sneak out the large ventilator shaft at the far, right end of the room.

"Cough, cough. Cough, cough." Relena Peacecraft was doing a fine bit of acting herself. Her spasmodic coughing and doubling over had gotten enough of her captors' attentions for Wufei and Quatre to come up from behind and deck two guards each.

Quatre with the butt of his stolen machine gun, while Wufei used several well placed karate chops to the unfortunate backs of their necks.

So that only left...

The one with the unkindly face, big oafy hands and putrid bad breath.

SMASH!  
Straight across the face, Lady Une takes up her role as current commander of a tactical force. She grabs the man's own machine gun and breaks his nose with it.

"I've got this one covered. The hostages are secure for now." Lady Une brushes a stray hair back in place, looking her "new" team right in the eye. "Your mission: Take the remaining of the terrorists out and disable that bomb!"

Colonel Une orders her small team of two, make that three.

"Roger!" Dutiful Quatre salutes her and dashes forward towards the main double doors of the drawing room, with a loaded gun in his readied hand for action.

Wufei was similarly armed and dangerous as each man takes one side of the double door, fully prepared for mortal combat that most probably awaited them on the other side.

Both of them---

Plus one.

"Keep the hostages back, Colonel! Everyone, keep your heads down, take shelter and stay calm! We're all going to make it through this!" Dorothy Catalonia's most commanding, rabble-rousing voice calls out to the crowd behind her. Quatre turns to find a finely dressed lady in black lace directly behind him.

"Dorothy! What are you---?" Quatre turns, ready to tell the powerful Senator with the bewitching eyes that she had to stay here in the safety of the crowd of innocents--but Dorothy Catalonia had far different ideas.

"I'm going with you." She states, stooping down and grabbing a loaded hand gun from one of the downed terrorists. She showed off her knowledge of guns by checking it's clip, handling it quite expertly and holding it up in the air.

"Oh no you're not! You're staying right here, Miss Catalonia, beside Miss Relena, safe and away from the battle where you belong." Quatre quite forcefully states, pushing her bodily back towards Miss Relena as he grasps the gun out of her hand and sticks it into his Preventer jacket's inside pocket.

Then he and Wufei quickly turn, slipping out the doors. They conk out a few more guards on the outside who were caught off guard, (hee hee) before locking the drawing room doors from the outside once again.

"Excuse me!" Primadonna Dorothy Catalonia was not accustomed to any person--any man--ordering Her Royal Highness about.

_Nobody tells me what to do! Who does he think he is! Just because he has that cute face! Oooohhhhhhh!_

An angry, stamped foot, twitching with frustration lips and 2 sets of eyebrows rising above her burning with intensity eyes were nothing compared to the torment Quatre Raberba Winner just caused in Dorothy Catalonia's now turned upside down soul and heart in bewilderment of him, and those soft, yet commanding aqua eyes. He had just sent her senses reeling in a way she had never known before...


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: The Hour Draws Near

8:01 PM C.E.T.

"Preventers 2 and 3- Status Check." Team Leader Quatre whispers in a hushed anxious tone into his communicator watch. His cracking voice and clear blue eyes were trying their darndest to quit watching the milliseconds race past him like running water.

Time WAS running out and if the four agents he already had on the inside couldn't locate the terrorists' nuclear device within the next 11 minutes and quickly disarm it--

Well, that was when Plan B kicked in. Literally. Quatre was pretty sure that when it came to Miss Relena's welfare, Heero would--

"Wufei! What are you--!" Quatre's hissed whisper at the comrade no longer at his side was one of shock. He and Wufei thus far had crept through the adjoining foyer room, remaining hidden and out of the sight of the---

_Nine terrorists stationed in key areas of the main spiral marble stairwell. They are guarding that area pretty tightly so that must be where their nuclear device is in the vicinity of!_

"If they don't have the bomb in their hands they can't detonate it. Come on! There's only nine of them. We can cover that easily." Wufei's words did have a certain logic to them, but Quatre was the kind to want all possibilities explored and covered before he blindly and dangerously raced headlong into a situation.

Wufei, however, was a different case entirely. The simple, most direct solution was always the right one to his mind, in his own black and white world.

Quatre watches in horror as Wufei slinks like a stealthy black snake into the shadows of the front hall. He blended into the tall bars of the stairwell, so covert and so unseen, that even cautious team leader Quatre had to give him some credit as he watches bouncing martial artist Wufei flip out over the stair. He knocks the four men guarding the table off their feet with a flying spin kick, knocking the ominous black briefcase off the table in the process as he scuffles with the men converging upon him.

No one seemed to want to open fire on their attacker, for fear of hitting the device near him--and perhaps detonate the nuclear device before they had a chance to escape to their underground shelter.

Either way, it's timer was about to enter the final sequence of a ten minute countdown--

In another minute or so...

"Duo! Trowa! I need backup! Main stairwell! NOW!" Quatre screams out. This was not at all the way he foresaw it in his head. But what do they say about the best laid plans of mice and men?

Quatre was about to prove that he was one of the latter and not of the former. Taking a hint from Lady, he uses the butt of his rifle to plow one of the scufflers on the floor with a broken jaw. He, too, was willing to utilize his weapon but Wufei was too intertwined with the villains to safely distinguish whose body belonged to whom.

And in the flash of a halted moment, Quatre too is pulled into the melee of flying fists and smashing kicks. Every hand, both good and bad, were desperately trying to keep the bomb out of each other's wanting grasps.

While the miscreant Wufei was holding his own fairly well against the now four terrorists on his back, petite framed Quatre R. Winner was losing and badly. A bloodied chin, an already blackening eye, and he was certainly glad to spot a particular dynamic duo (heh heh) come vaulting down the long staircase like Batman and Robin--

But in Quatre's eyes it was more like Batman and Superman. Indeed, Trowa Barton has superhuman abilities. This super boy, flying on the wind it seemed, comes almost gracefully pirouetting down the marble staircase. Each precise strong muscled leg and arm kicks the rest of the incoming terrorist who were already in midrace down the steps to aid their under attack comrades.

He knocks them right off the bannister and they flip off into unconsciousness.

Now, the Great Destroyer had his own twisted style of mortal combat. He scoops up two of the terrorists who were beating poor Quatre to a pulp by the scruff of their scarved necks and dances between the pair who were trying to deck him. He laughs, cackles and pulls faces at them as he continues to duck and bob and weave. This "artful dodging" God of Death taunted his enemies with everything from spicy words to a razzling tongue, until he gets them right where he wants them--

And the frustrated two terrorists punch one another out simultaneously when their punching bag Duo swiftly ducks straight down, braid trailing. Those two were down for the count.

"Heck! This is kinda fun! Looks like Heero's gonna miss all the action on this one!" Duo's triumphant mouth was always a little ahead of himself. He had a victorious smile on, from ear to ear as he helped Quatre up off the floor as Wufei and Trowa did the honors of putting the last two baddies down in his place.

"Not so fast, Amigos!"

_There's only nine here! There's only nine! Damn it! Why didn't I see one was missing!_

Quatre's mind screams at his own error--an error that just may cost everyone's lives. So he clicks a button on his communicator wristwatch...

8:08 PM C.E.T.

"Back away from that black box. Now! Or I start killing hostages, five at a time!" Somehow, someway, during the fierce scuffle, the lead Epyon de Telos terrorist had slipped away from the group and broken into the secure hostage room.

His machine gun was ready to spray the fearful panicking crowd who were cowering as far back into the drawing room, away from this threat, as possible. They were all screaming and crying in fright. All of the crowd save for one courageous young lady.

"NO! Leave the innocent civilians out of this!" Relena Darlian's voice comes from the mass of people and she boldly takes a step forward towards the terrorist's loaded gun aimed right at her determined face.

"I will order them to cooperate and give that box to you. But only if you promise to leave these people alone." Calmly, decisively, the Foreign Minister makes a statement. Her very presence and steely blue eyes captured the stupified awe of every eye in the room.

"You can't expect me to--" The de Telos man skeptically begins to say but he too was captivated by her all-enveloping gaze.

"I will be your only hostage." The selfless attitude, the decisive mind, the kind heart. She was the portrait of a true leader. Relena Peacecraft Darlian had shown these qualities over and over again in her young life.

But never moreso than now. For never more was so very much on the line. These people, this country, this world was counting on her to have courage.

And Relena was not going to let a single one of them down.

_Not now. Not ever. For as long as I live and breathe._

Which, right at this moment, didn't look to be all that much longer, with that nuclear bomb ticking.

And that went for him too. The last terrorist, feeling backed into a hole, and with time running out.

_So what better human shield to have than the peaceful Sanc princess herself if I want to live through this. Even that's still up in the air. So maybe I'll keep my options open..._

8:09 PM C.E.T.

"Fine! Hand over that box!" The desperate terrorist grabs Relena who has just selflessly offered herself in place of the sixty plus innocent souls in the hostage group.

He grabs her harshly by her wrists. Lady Anne makes a move towards him, but he sees her reflecting in his glasses in the corner of his eye, and thrusts a rather ungentlemanly fist out, connecting with her noble nose and sending her entire body flailing down to the floor. Mariemaia rushes to Lady's side.

The man then, rather than have even peaceful citizens roused at the treatment of their beloved hostess rise against him, takes Relena's arm and drags her bodily out of the drawing room. He slams the door shut, locking it behind them once again.

Moving in towards the group, Epyon de Telos man halts in front of Trowa, who already had the briefcase satchel open and was about to disarm it.

The man sticks his machine gun to Relena's head.

"Drop it." He says, just in time to halt Trowa's swift fingers, with the gun threat pressed to Relena's skull.

Her shocked, fear-stricken eyes connect with Trowa's and they become calm, focusing on his. He senses from her such inner strength, such total conviction, such absolute self-sacrifice...

And this woman, like so many others of her delicate and beautiful sex, could not be allowed to perish. The noble heart that beat so sanely within this thought lifeless and lost boy, would not let such a terrible thing happen.

He couldn't think what he would do if his Cathrine was in this situation. And he considered Heero Yuy enough of a friend to make sure not to do anything to endanger the woman he loved either.

The black briefcase drops to the floor.

"Kick it over to me."

Trowa pushes the device towards him with a foot and it clatters across the marble tiles.

"Good. Now free my men." He digs the gun even deeper into Relena's cranium and she closes her eyes, feeling so very weak and helpless, and such a hindrance to these boys who were THAT close to solving this whole terrible situation.

_Oh, Heero...I wish you were here to help me through this..._

Who says that wishes never come true?

A dark shadow falls over the hall. The sound of whirring motors fill the castle. A bright, flashing light penetrates through the heavily curtained windows, enveloping the entire room with a blinding pulsating beam as an all-too-familiar figures is silhouetted on the Sanc Kingdom's once again unpeaceful shores.

And another's voice that its princess' ruler only ever heard haunting inside her dreams...

"ATTENTION: EPYON DE TELOS. DISARM NOW, OR I'LL KILL YOU."

Heero Yuy's emotionless, monotone voice was not normally emotion evoking to others either. But any mere mortal faced down by the huge piece of mechanical marvel and its deadly, aimed straight at them, beam cannon, didn't need a scary provoking voice to enforce their fears.

A Gundam meant only one thing to its enemies--death. And every villain in this room knew that as their grim reaper seemed to peer into every window right at them, through their black sunglasses right into their blackened souls.

"Wa-wait! We have a nuclear weapon! You'll be killed, too!" One of the de Telos group who had been kicked off the staircase cries out, jumping to his feet. His pale blonde hair was not half as pale as his overconfident face becomes when Heero states his next line.

"So what would that matter to me. That's my girl. Life's not worth living anymore if she's gone. I might as well be dead, too." Deafening silence was his reply. The words were said so harshly, so deadpan serious and with a frightening straight face that the remaining members of the terrorist group look from the terrifying face of the Gundam to that of the pure princess.

Then the Epyon de Telos shrink back in total fear. Things were not supposed to happen this way. They were supposed to escape from this. They were promised they'd become symbols and heroes to the public masses of the righteous. They were freeing all from this corrupted world of total pacifism and tranquillity.

They were supposed to be the future heroes, not the past martyrs. And this crazy nutcase of a Gundam pilot gone wacko seemed genuine. All the way to claiming the beautiful Sanc Princess as his own.

_Life not worth living anymore! _

"This guy's for real!" Yet another of his teammate's was not willing to gamble his own precious tail. Their own nuclear bomb's five minute countdown, which was only seconds from commencing, was on prefixed automatic timer to allow them all to escape to their own fortified nuclear bomb shelter, below ground.

And now with this madman pilot on the loose, they'd just better get to that shelter--or else be caught in the nuclear bath and fall out only intended for the rest of the unpure, unchosen masses of Sanc first, then the remainder of a world that had shunned them.

Shunned them, their advanced weaponry and their imprisoned comrades in arms, all in the name of foolish peace.

The funny thing about most ferverous, rabid at the mouth terrorists who swear allegiance to support anything and their all important cause--they usually weren't willing to die for it.

The nine terrorists, though injured and bloodied, littered on the stairs were obviously not either. They were barely able to get up and trip over their own feet, let alone help or aid their wounded brothers. They each crash into one another as they all scurry to a secret elevator entrance that they had personally kept fully functional and ready to go in the past 24 hours, for a moment not quite envisioned as this.

But heck, they had their own necks to watch out for, right?

"RUN YOU WEAKLINGS! Wufei can't help but throw in a screech and a growl after them. Once the elevator doors shut behind the lot of cowards, they seal themselves off for a "nuclear winter" in the safety of their basement shelter.

LOCK ON.

Wufei breaks the plastic cover and pops the red emergency safety button of the now totally sealed off elevator with a smirky vengeance. He himself was awaiting, with anxiety, the time when he could go down and pick off those worthless weaklings one by one, just for the fun of it. This group was not coming back up in the same shape they went down in, that was for sure.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Countdown**

8:11 PM. C.E.T.

Four minutes to auto-destruct sequence.

"I'm sure glad that's over with! Trowa, we still have five minutes but I think we'd all breathe a little easier if you'd defuse that--"

Quatre Raberba Winner was so busy watching the "escape" of the terrorist group after Heero's convincing speech, (plotted by your brilliant, blonde strategist if I might say so. blush), that he didn't seem to notice the count, once again.

There were 9 terrorists on the stairs and surrounding ground floor area where they were sparring. There were 9 terrorists that got in the elevator and went down into their dungeon tomb willingly.

_That meant---Oh, damn!_

"Miss Relena!"

"Not a move, or she's dead. You hear me Gundam? I'm not bluffing. I really will pull this trigger and have her lovely peaceful brains scattered all over her family's decorated walls! I will! I'm warning you! I'll kill her!"

The desperate words of a desperate man. This terrorist felt the weight of his whole glass world crashing down on his crazed head---which really wasn't that far from the truth.

Even as the terrorist's maddened finger begins to pull on his gun's trigger, through the skylight, directly above, a cannonball comes catapulting through the large windowscape--a human cannonball.

The glass shards raining on the terrorist were nothing compared to the flurry of fists and legs and kicks that knocked both gun and captive from the villain's grasp.

The nuclear briefcase was ticking down at their feet, too was thrown away in the mens' violent scuffling as Heero Yuy rescues the love of his life from the grips of death once again.

But the show wasn't over yet.

8:12 PM. C.E.T.

3 minutes to auto-nuclear detonation.

"Heero! Be careful!" Relena's shrill voice warns as her savior, the man she has prayed over and over, lived for this very moment to see, grapples with the larger, brawnier man on the floor.

And winning, too.

Heero Yuy was the kind of fighter in mortal combat that you didn't want to mess with. His tactical brain and body moved as one, calculated fearsome force, despite his smaller framed size.

But the losing terrorist leader had a few friends in his corner. A spray of sharpened machete blades come knifing across the room. The trio of guards that Duo had bound and tied upstairs earlier somewhere along the line had gotten loose. (No doubt utilizing these well hidden objects after a good dose of the anxiety and fear of nuclear fall out as inspiration to break from their bonds.)

The knife throwing terrorist with the pale blonde hair was obviously an expert in this field. Perhaps he was professionally trained in a performing troupe or a circus or the like sometime in his past. Razor sharp blades sliced and cut at our heroes all around the room. Blood was spilled as Duo and Wufei, rushing to Heero's aid, falter under the spray taking them down. They had been cut down by the oncoming onslaught of steel tips.

But one of our soldiers does not falter. One soldier who was quite accustomed to having sharp knives pitched in his direction on a daily basis. And Trowa Barton was not only adept at dodging with super agility---he also knew how to throw.

_Chik! Chik!_

Like this was all some prestaged side show, Trowa does his triple flip, simultaneously catching 2 of the speeding projectiles in each hand, spinning, flipping straight up in the air, bouncing like he had rubber soles in his feet, straight up the flight of stairs where the knife-chucking terrorist was sending deathly blades from the vantage point of.

And in the blink of a blinding eye, before Trowa even lands on his two light as air feet, all four knives that had momentarily rested in his hands were dug deep into the wall as if by magic, at the top of the landing.

The culprit was wedged up and hanging between all four points, nailed to the wall as his feet dangled helplessly. His arms and legs were useless to him now, so well strategically placed were the four knives plastered to the terrorist's clothing, securing him to the far wall like a limp circus balloon fizzling out of air with a hole in its side.

8:13 PM C.E.T.

2 minutes to auto-nuclear detonation.

"Shoot them all! Before they get to the box!" The terrorist leader manages to yell out in between punching Heero in the gut, to the disoriented pair still in shock of their comrade's defeat at the head of the staircase.

They nod, obviously having the foresight to pick up some machine guns on the way, lifting the deadly ends of the weapons' nozzle right in Quatre Winner's face as he rushes up the stairs...


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Lady & The Blade

_...His cute face._

_SWISH!_

With a lightning fast flash of a sword swipe, both terrorists are screaming in pain, clutching at their right arms as their machine guns clatter down the stairway, spraying a few harmless stray rounds as they rattle away.

"En guarde!" And there she stands, poised for combat. Her long, lacy black skirt had been long since discarded to reveal a very shapely pair of charcoal black thigh-high stocking-ed legs.

Her stiletto high heels give this new combatant on the theatre of battle an air of mystery and danger.

He wasn't sure how she had come to arrive here at this very moment. She came out of nowhere and everywhere, all at once. He didn't imagine that this woman of opportunity and sheer force of will had somehow managed to escape her safehold in the drawing room by the same way he himself had snuck in. He couldn't think that such a pure, sweet girl with beautiful platinum blonde hair trailing behind her had the ability to use a grappling rope, scale up and down walls like a spider, face the eerie frightening darkness crawling through icky murky dusty ledges and somehow find her way through it by instinct alone.

And on top of it, emerge from her daring climb with fencing sword in hand on the second floor of the mansion just at the exact moment Quatre Raberba Winner needed her to appear and rescue him--

His angel of light.

"Dorothy!" He cries out her name as she, quite happily it seemed, continued to slice and dice at the two terrorists. They put up two pairs of now quite cut and bleeding arms to shield themselves from this vicious swordswoman's wrath.

"Don't stand there gawking at me, Quatre Winner! Disarm that bomb already!" Her high voice hisses out, but she was almost singing. Her eyes were dancing at the pure excitement of hand to hand combat. She relished every moment as the two men back away from her unrelenting sword's blade.

"Trowa!" Quatre, his mind firmly back in place, screams out as the final minutes and seconds begin to flicker away...

8:14 P.M. C.E.T.

15 seconds to go.

"Already on it, Quatre." The soldier Trowa Barton was never lost sight of his main objective. The screams, the raging battle, the cacophony of combat from all around him, above and below mattered not. Trowa's heart knew what was the right thing to do at all times. And he had the mind to be able to carry it out as well.

As he catapults over the railing, grasping the briefcase in his hands, he pops open the black boxed case whose exterior was fairly badly damaged from all the dropping, kicking and passing about just in the last five minutes. But to Trowa's eyeslit dismay, the interior was still intact, and the nuclear device was still armed. The bomb was still deadly as its final sequence ticks down.

In about 8 seconds, it was about to deliver the impact of a hundred thousand tons of nuclear fission energy on the unknowing innocent residents of Sanc--and the greater part of a continent within a five hundred kilometer radius.

Unless, one man knew how to disarm it and fast.

_Seven, six, five..._

His mind races as he watches the red digital numbers slowly tick down towards zero. Every detonation device was different. Every mad scientist who created one built the next to be even more difficult to defuse, more precise--and more easy to set off if done wrong...

_Four..._

"Pull the red wire! Pull the red wire! It's always the red wire! Pull it before we all blow!" Duo Maxwell's frantic voice shrieks out from where he lay in a bloody pile at the base of the steps Trowa was kneeling down over.

_Three..._

There wasn't a red wire in the box. But Trowa wasn't one to speak at such a moment. In fact, he was one to rarely speak in any situation.

No. He was one to act.

_Two..._

Reaching his thin hand into the mad hodge-podge of wires, circuitry and lights, Trowa does just that. He knew that perhaps this might be the last thing he and all his embattled friends about him would see. But through all the hurt, the pain, the blood and the fear--Trowa's mind's eye envisions the last glimpse he had seen of all the innocents who were counting on him to protect them.

Each face flashed in his mind as he clasps his fingers around the circuit board that he was empowered to stake his and every life in Sanc upon...

Until his thoughts finally rest on her. His Cathrine's beautiful eyes, her smile, her peace. They all filled his heart as he removed the main circuit board from the armed nuclear bomb in his blood stained, yet still pure hands.

A hush filled the entire room. Duo's screams of panic, Wufei's pain filled groans, Dorothy's giddy sword scrapings with the two cowering terrorists, Relena's gasping, Quatre's hard breathing, Heero and leader of Epyon de Telos still strangling each other on the ground floor--all of it, everyone of the human beings in the room stopped, starkly still. Each one realized that this could be their last moment on Earth as they all give witness, staring down the device in Trowa's hands for the longest second their world had ever seen...

_Ding dong, ding dong_

From the belly of the large grandfather clock that had remained in the hallway heretofore unnoticed for decades since it was placed there to chime it's quarter by quarter hourly duty, a loud ringing resounds through the hall's eerie silence. The bell tolls with the clock going off--

But it was only the timepiece's ominous tones and then silence.

No bright flash of light to blind them. No energy explosion. No death, no destruction, no nuclear detonation. Nothing but the silence that some filled with prayers, some filled with inner angry cursing, and one cracked and defeated terrorist--

Fills with cackling, insane laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha!"

"Uh oh. Funny farm time for our friend there." Duo was feeling a bit more jovial (now that that "darn bomb's been fizzled out. Way to, Tro! I always knew you were my buddy.") despite the aching sore deep knife cut in a place on his body he wouldn't like to mention in public.

"Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

The leader of de Telos continues to cackle insanely. Heero, clamps the bruised and battered man's hands down to the marbled floor. He had just about had enough of this loser laughing up in his face and was just about to deck him--permanently--once and for all.

"Why are you laughing like that?" Relena Darlian's soft hand firmly lands on Heero's raised, fisted one, halting it. It wasn't with her own physical strength, but with a spiritual strength of the bond her peaceful heart shared with this wandering loner of an assassin.

"The nuclear device has been defused. Your mission of treachery and destruction has come to an end." Relena states, gathering herself up from the floor she had been thrown down upon just minutes ago as she watched Heero fight it out with the terrorist leader.

Patting Trowa on the back for a job well done, Quatre takes the circuit board out of his silent friend's strong hand.

_Imagine, this little thing could cause so much trouble. _

Quatre humors to himself, turning and holding the small green and copper chip up to the moonlight from the window before him with a shaking head and relieved smile.

Just then, Dorothy Catalonia (still having fun fencing the now defenseless terrorists at the peak of the spiral staircase) lets out a surprised screech as she kicks one of the two with her heel in his face. But the other uses her forward momentum against her, lunging out and shoving her backward towards the stairwell.

"Gotcha!" This time, Quatre was there to save her from danger. He had halted her nasty fall down the steps backward with a powerful pair of hands.

"Hold onto this piece of evidence--please." The blonde boy says rather calmly as he passes the troublesome little circuit board into Dorothy's hands. She cocks her dazed head quizzically at first him, then it. She tucks it between her cleavage to keep her hands ready and free and then looks to him again as Quatre with an...arrogant?...smile right into her face takes a step forward, makes a growling face, and sends a manfully flying punch squarely on the jaw of the unkind gentleman who had just shoved his lovely lady. He decks the man with one power filled wallop and the last terrorist sinks down on the top floor of the stairs.

"You've been defeated. Your battle is over." Relena almost triumphantly states, dusting herself off as she stands over the broken man.

"That's what you think, Princess Peacecraft! Ha ha! That's what you think! HA HA HA HA!" The man just continues to cackle. Relena's eyebrows knit.

"Somebody take his batteries out already." Duo whines, rubbing his, ahem, and nursing his wound.

"Yeah. Before I decide to chop his head off to stop that awful laughing." Wufei adds. He grits his teeth as the incision a knife had sliced across his chest was rather too tender for this warrior's spirit to handle.

"What do you mean?" Relena turns back to the terrorist. "The danger has passed." She sees the growing suspicions reflected in Heero Yuy's thick browed eyes up at her.

"You won't think so when you're castle's gone. My final offering to rewriting history." The insane terrorist begins to cackle once again. Every person in the room feels their hair stand up at the back of their necks' at the evil doer's ominous and threatening words setting them on edge in fear one more time...


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Not Over Yet

"What are you saying--!" Relena, confused and frightened, begins to ask, but Heero was up on his feet in a flash, covering her mouth with a forceful hand.

"Quiet, everyone!" Heero commands. Silence overtakes the room again at his monotone shout for quiet.

_TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK..._

"There's still an armed device in this room." Heero announces. The seriousness of the still deadly situation was apparent in his voice. His assassin training told him that the constant, slightly whirring sound was not that of a nuclear device, but rather, it was a normal tactical sort of bomb. It wasn't 1/20th the threat of vicious destructiveness of the atomic kind, but nonetheless, it was a bomb.

"Trowa."

Heero simply says his fellow soldier's name. Trowa, as always, responds spontaneously to the unsaid question.

"It's not coming from this one. It's dead." Trowa puts his ear to the briefcase atomic weapon he had just successfully defused. No ticking sounds.

_TICK, TICK, TICK..._

"So will we be if we don't find---"

Heero's calculating mind finally flicks the files of his brain in succession. His eyes look into Relena's frightened ones.

_TICK, TICK, TICK..._

"Quatre! The circuit board!"

Heero screams out. The intensity of the ticking sound only meant one thing---

The mechanical bomb was about to blow---and there was no way in hell that Heero could get to it in time.

Even now that he had deduced what it was, that the insane terrorist has masochistically determined if for some reason their nuke didn't go off as planned, the circuit board panel, no bigger than a cassette tape, that was the trigger, would instead, still have its own power and be able to blow, wreaking havoc and chaos in its unassuming wake...

It was a final crazed bit of vengeance on the kingdom that stood for all peace.

"DOROTHY!"

Quatre Raberba Winner too realizes what Heero was telling him--that she was in possession of the bomb. He had stupidly palmed that blasted circuit board over to her in a moment of macho bravado to show off to the girl he---

Confused by all the screaming and...

_Where is that darn ticking coming from? Can it be my heart?_

All dazed Dorothy could do was go to his calling, commanding arms in a state of bewilderment. She was in slow motion it seemed under his gaze. She took it all in with wide awestruck eyes as she feels Quatre's arms suddenly grasp her, roughly pulling her forward, towards the open window. He thrusts his hand down her cleavage and---

_TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK..._

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Dorothy Catalonia's pride finally manages to shriek out at the way he was man handling her. The way he was just pulling and pushing her ar0und like a ragdoll...

_TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK..._

Quatre's eyes fill with steely determination, judging that defusion for this bomb was too late and far too close to call. So he throws the bomb out the window as hard and long and strong as his youthful arm possibly could.

He sends the bomb out the window, far as he could, into the dark still blue ocean...

KABOOM!

It wasn't a second too late, either. The detonation goes off mere seconds after it hits the surface of the water. It sinks just deep enough to subdue most of the shockwaves it causes. The impact splashes up wildly and the Norwegian sea broils as it bubbles over with the intense explosive heat of the blasts.

It was over. Finally. This night was over. The Cinq Kingdom had been saved.

"Wooh! Wee! Whoopee!" Duo Maxwell's whooping cry of joy is the first to go up. Everyone's relief was signalled in his ecstatic call of victory.

"We did it, y'all! We did it!"

"Yeah." Wufei stands, despite the pain in his chest. He didn't want the woman to find him cowering on the ground in a weakling pile beside the caterwauling American. Wufei was pretty sure that they'd both be requiring Sally Po's medical attention concerning both his and Duo's fairly deep knife wounds.

_That is, if she's still alive._

Wufei teases with himself. Somehow, he already knew the answer to that one.

_What do I expect? I wouldn't be so lucky. Hmph._

Wufei's warped sense of humor muses that his macho being wouldn't allow himself such frivolities as worry or concern over a "woman."

"Justice has been served this day." Trowa takes the words right out of Wufei's justice spouting mouth. He walks down the stairs calmly to join the group below.

"No! It has not! The justice of Epyon de Telos will come to pass! You will not be permitted to live in our righteous world, Relena Peacecraft! Both you and Sanc will perish! You may have defeated me today! But there are more of us! There are others! You haven't seen the last of us! You cannot stay safe and protected from us forever, Relena Peace---UGH!"

The de Telos leader's rantings and ravings are stopped still in their tracks by a smashing elbow, knocking him into unconscious at last.

"Oh, yes..." Heero Yuy's harsh arm unbends from the knockout blow he just gave the terrorist. With a tight fist, his pulsating muscular hand and arm remain as blood drainingly clenched as his teeth and set jaw were resolute in the one singular thought burning in his mind. And maybe, all the deep, into his hidden, closed heart...

"...She can."

Heero states matter-of-factly and Relena Darlian's clear eyes connect with his tormented ones. She felt a huge weight now even heavier on her thin shoulders, being lifted off her and placed on his strong, bloodsoaked ones. Relena realizes that though her world was becoming more and more complicated and dangerous as she enters the political stage----

She wasn't going to have to walk this treacherous road by herself. Her "Heero" would be there with her every step of the way. And that made her tumultuous world all right.

Heero Yuy had a new mission now---and he wasn't about to let anyone in the world mess this one so important to him up ever as he gets lost in Relena's eyes...

She was still reeling from the maddening speed of what had just happened. Dorothy Catalonia turns her head that was still stuck out the window and finally comes out of her transfixed gaze with the now calming sea that the bomb had just been harmlessly dumped in.

By him.

In the moonlight, under the starry night, the broiling, choppy seas within Dorothy's own soul were coming to a calm, as well. She felt as if her eyes had been opened to her for the first time in her life---

More than her eyes---her heart...

It was violently, yet securely pounding in her chest as she finds the sea of his aqua blue eyes in hers.

"We make a pretty good team together, don't we, Dorothy?"

His voice was lilting and yet sure. Thinking about tonight's events and the feeling that hadn't left his heart and soul since they first met that day, long ago, Quatre's head too, was still out the window under the illumination of the bright moon and beautiful starlight.

Dorothy took it all in at once. She swallows hard before she answers his question, because it was her heart's question as well.

"Yes, we do, Quatre Raberba Winner."

Her heart gives her voice the answer even if her mind wasn't all that certain yet.

_There was something about him---something...so sweet...and yet...he could be so strong._

Independent, blustery snob Dorothy Catalonia breathes in the cool, starry night air. She feels its magic sweep over her as Quatre Raberba Winner takes her hand in his and leans his head in over the girl who had haunted his every dream for what seemed like forever to a soul who only longed to connect with hers.

Her eyes seemed to beckon to him. His questions were answered now...

_Because you and I are the same...I know it, I can feel it in my soul..._

KISS 

The crisp, cool night air, the salty ocean breeze, the waves of peaceful calm and triumph wash over this pair of star-crossed lovers when their lips meet tentatively, as do their hearts for the first time. Their soulful paths finally cross as time stands still around them. Quatre Winner and Dorothy Catalonia found something deep within each other's frightened tender souls in this moment of relief after a hard won life and death drama had drawn them together. Now they were both ready to accept their emotions.

_When I'm with you, I'm not alone..._

Both their souls resound the same tender thought.

And the sweetest kiss lingers on...

Peace at last...


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: My Sentiments Exactly

Forever was a good word for it. The gang's wide-eyed ogling of the kissing couple at the second floor open window was enough to take almost all of their beaten and battle-worn bodies' attention away--in sheer astonishment.

Angelic, golden boy Quatre Winner and evil devil-woman Dorothy Catalonia! This couldn't be happening!

Though Trowa Barton's knowing eyes smile at the couple's rather passionate kiss and embrace as he descends the stairs, Duo Maxwell and Wufei Chang were NOT smiling. In fact, the shock on their equally astonished faces directed up where Quatre was laying it on thick on one black-corseted and lacy thigh-high stockinged Miss Catalonia, had all the indications that they both considered the romantic scene blossoming before their eyes really---

"Disgusting." Wufei lets the word spit out with utter contempt and distaste. The look on his face was as if he had just witnessed the most disgusting scene in all of his woman-despising life. He couldn't believe that he just had to sit still and watch Winner's gross display of weaklingness.

But Sally Po was ensuring that.

Somewhere along the line, Trowa was the only one still left with his marbles in place after the harrowing events, coupled with Quatre and Dorothy's love-love session.

He strode down the steps (passing where Relena and Heero's eyes were interlocked with almost as much enthusiasm as Quatre and Dorothy's lips). Trowa checks on the hostages' well-being.

Broken-nosed Lady Une already had them under control and organized, but there was a grateful, relieved smile on her face, confident in her finest soldiers' abilities to save the world single-handedly. She gave a sweet, caressing hand pat to Trowa's handsome face.

Sally Po had appeared out of nowhere, earlier, in this chaos (obviously not really dead) and had gone on to tend to Trowa's no doubt fallen comrades.

Though Duo Maxwell's ahem posterior was not in tip top shape with the thrown knife slice pretty wide across the luckily fleshy part of his rear end, his mouth was not restricted one bit.

"Geez! Am I the only one who thinks this is some super long "Big Red" commercial! Whoo whee! Quatre little buddy, didn't know you had it in ya!"

The grossed out smirk running straight across Duo's face was almost as big and red as the bloody cut on his bottom.

"It's disgusting." Wufei repeats, now even more snidely, right in Sally's face, as if a challenge.

"You could say that again!" Duo answers. He crinkles his equally grossed out at Quatre KISSING Dorothy "evil-eyed" Catalonia like that! EWW!

Looking up from where this would-be peanut gallery in the large hall and stairwell were still snidely commenting and snickering at the smooching couple at the top of the steps, Sally can't help but smile at how precious and sweet a first kiss, such as this, could be to a loving and meaningful relationship now blooming in this most unlikely of couples...

_Sweet, ahem...Quatre Winner, I didn't know you had it in you either!_

"Disgusti----AHHHHHH! WOMAN!"

Wufei lets the bellow ring out through the hall, as Sally, field doctor and professional as she was, proves her own "point" on Wufei, as, without any prior warning, she yanks out the steel blade throwing knife that was still embedded in his shoulder. It was harmless enough now and Sally smirks to herself. She revelled in Chang Wufei's scream of pain just a little too much for a medical practitioner.

_But poor, always kind Quatre being ridiculed by these callous male oafs! I'll get even on your behalf---with both of this "dynamic duo"..._

Duo Maxwell was chuckling at Wufei and Quatre both now, but he was about to get his payment too.

"Here you go, Mr. Maxwell. We must clean that wound of yours before it gets infected----"

Dr. Sally maliciously purses her smirking lips as she pops open her medic bag and pours the entire bottle of iodine and peroxide on the open wounded behind that Duo was gingerly holding up to her, and pointing at.

The resulting reaction bubbling up on his cut was nothing compared to the speech bubbling out of Duo Maxwell's stinging mouth.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ouch! OUCH! Ouch! OUCH!"

Now Duo's loudest scream was enough to wake up every blissful dreamer from their happy dazement. Luckily, Trowa and Lady were there to assure the freed hostages that those unholy sounds were nothing to worry about, as they escort the bustling, anxious crowd out the side exit.

Dorothy was first to recover as her misty, indigo eyes open to Quatre Raberba Winner's crystal clear aqua ones. He were so close to her face, she could still taste his sweet kiss in her mouth.

The classic, blissful look on his every feature was beginning to smile at her as their lips part after quite a few minutes. It made Dorothy's own breathless cheeks turn shades of colors, until they finally end up a deep, embarrassed red.

"Hello, Dorothy..." Quatre only manages to say this simple greeting, though his soul wanted to TELL her so much more---BE so much more to her, DO so much more...

Quatre's boyish heart leaps and soars knowing that it was finally happening between them. His most desired dream was finally coming true...

_Dorothy..._

"...My hands..."

Dorothy's gaze take Quatre's down to where he was still clutching her hands, rather tightly, too. Their kiss had lasted so long butt neither one of them seemed to notice the white, blood drained fingers interlaced all the while of their kiss.

But now it was all over.

"Oh!" Quatre immediately releases her white hands. She quickly draws them to herself.

"I'm sorry, Dorothy, if I...hurt you." The blonde boy looks at her with those eyes...

_...His beautiful, clear eyes..._

"Ooh, well..."

Dorothy Catalonia searches for the voice box in her constricted throat. She didn't want to keep him waiting for an answer to his apology---and yet...

_Why shouldn't I keep you waiting, Quatre Raberba Winner? Just because you have a cute face! And you are a fairly good kisser..._

The vivid recollection of his lips to hers clouded all of Dorothy's already cloudy emotions for him. She didn't quite know what to do with the thumping in her chest. It was so loud and disconcerting and with every beat she looked up at him with the way he disturbed her soul.

_What should I do? What should I do? _

All her past encounters with Quatre Raberba Winner come flooding back. Every scene, every moment, leading up to each and every second of their momentous kiss.

_Why not?_

Dorothy feels the hair stand up on the back of her neck and she feels every nerve ending in her body tingle with the sensation of what she was about to embark upon. Her life was about to take a bend in the road.

_Because of him..._

Whether it be right or wrong, she'd have time to decide that later.

_Maybe when my heart stops this maddening pounding..._

All in the flashing, still moment, entrapped in his gaze, Dorothy Catalonia ponders all this. It hadn't all sunk in yet, but perhaps with some time...

_Maybe I'll give him a try..._

Dorothy thinks with all the enthusiasm of someone test driving a sports car they're none too certain of the color on.

_Lucky boy..._

"I'm not all that fragile, if you haven't noticed yet, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy states, quite saucily. She dangles out this bait and turns on her high heel. She waltzes down the mansion's wide staircase as if nothing had just happened between her and that certain Winner heir...

Nothing in the world at all...

"Yeah, I've noticed..."

Quatre replies vaguely to the unasked question in the tension filled air. He was was gazing at her smiling, deliriously in love, as he watches his Dorothy confidently stride down the stairs as if she owned the world on the stage as she, in her black stockinged legs and corset, were performing upon before his now forever adoring eyes.

_Forever, Dorothy...Someday..._

Quatre heaves in a big sigh. He felt the golden world Dorothy Catalonia so-owned was the most wondrous place in the universe---and he was now more determined than ever to be a part of it--a big part, too, if he had his way.

"Forever..."

Quietly whispering right there and then, he watches the reknowned Senator Catalonia march right in and take charge of the semi-chaotic exiting crowd wanting to go home. Quatre R. Winner vows to himself right then that he knew Dorothy Catalonia was just the same as he was; that the the two of them shared the same soul--and she was the other half of his.

He was absolutely sure that he would move heaven and hell to spend forever with her...

_...I promise, someday...Dorothy..._


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Heroes

"Owww! That smarts, Sallllyyyyy!" Duo was too busy wallowing in his own painful body parts now to take note of Quatre and Dorothy's love adventures. He jumps up from being sprawled all over the floor in the agony Sally Po's mechanations on him with her "poison" potions put him through. His angry eyes find his buddy Wufei in much the same straits.

_This Dr. Po must've gotten her medical license from the dog pound, the way she's handling our painful wounds...Ouchie!..._

"Oh, does it smart?" Sally's face was smirking, mockingly condescending and sarcastic at the same time. She grins behind their backs as she finishes laying the bandages rather roughly, as punishment, on Duo's "tender not as seriously injured as it simply was a royal pain in the butt" kind of wound.

_Now, you're turn, Mister "I'm disgusted" Man..._

Sally turns with bandages and scissors well in hand to her Chinese partner's injuries.

"Don't even think about it." Wufei stops her in her tracks with a halting arm out. (To which he grits his teeth to stifle the pain the action causes his sliced up shoulder.) "Just give me those bandages. I can do it myself." Wufei had noticed the purposely rough and vicious way the woman had been dealing with Maxwell.

_Simply because we were commenting on fool Winner's infatuation with the root of all evil? Hmph! You side with her because ALL women are weak, evil creatures! Ha!_

"Ergh!"

In his enthusiastic putting down of the female sex, Wufei had forgotten to grit his teeth and the pain stabbed both up and down arm and chest more than even he could bear for that second. He hoped against hope that Sally had not noticed this singular weak moment in his otherwise spotlessly strong life of battle.

However...

She had.

The bandages he had yanked from her hands rolled across the marble floor to her feet already told the tale.

"No-you-can't. Here, give me those." Sally Po sighs in frustration as she scoops up the roll and tugs the scissors from Wufei's hands. "Why do all men think they can do EVERYTHING by themselves ALL the time?" Sally grumbles as she expertly cuts and sizes and tapes up Wufei Chang's rather bloody shoulder. She quickly examines the wound and seals it up for the time being, not once looking Wufei in the eye.

"Because we can---and we do." Wufei states, standing up straight despite the pain. But even the way he said it, in that oh-so-macho tone, makes Sally stop herself from getting angry. She realized that maybe these five boys---these five men---had come into their own as warriors and that maybe these five COULD do anything---from saving a kingdom to rescuing a Colony, to preserving the world.

_But it isn't just because they're men as Wufei would want me to believe...It's because you're heroes._

Sally lets her anger and frustration at his nasty words pass. Her eyes look to the strong person Chang Wufei was---and always would be, despite the rest of the world. He, for one, would never, ever give in to being weak.

_And I respect that in you, Wufei. Even if you are a male chauvinist pig most of the time._

Sally chuckles to herself, though she goes a little easier on the bandaging now as Wufei grunts at her, oblivious of her feelings for him as of yet.

_Heroes..._

One such "hero" was not as oblivious to his girl's feelings for him, but that wasn't what kept Heero Yuy coming back to her. He wasn't as interested in her girlish emotions and silly romantic notions as she would like him to be at all.

No, Heero was more interested in protecting her more than anything else in the universe. He cared more about her life than the entire universe's existence, and though he didn't quite understand why, Heero Yuy knew one thing---it burned in his subconscious---even to the depths of a heart that neither lived nor loved, only methodically, clinically beat in his scarred and battered chest---he would give his life for hers.

If Relena Peacecraft Darlian lived, the rest of the world need not. As long as she was safe and protected, and starting from this day on, Heero vows that he would be the one to do just that. He would protect her, even if the world was being destroyed---even if space itself would be breaking up, he would be there to save Relena, to take the hit for her, to carry her pureness away from the tumultuous times she was living in.

And this is how Heero intended to live from now on. As he always has, day to day, giving his all for his new mission---and this time, the mission was her.

Relena's protection.

_Mission accepted._

"Heero! Stay still! Miss Sally's coming! You're wounded and bleeding." Relena's voice was trying to be as stern as her happy heart and relieved soul could be this night. After all, it's not every day a girl's kingdom gets saved from nuclear obliteration AND her missing guy turns up and walks back into her life, is it?

Relena turns from Heero's beaten and battered form, crumpled in a pile on the ground, to wave Sally over.

She was glad that Trowa had hauled off the unconscious bloody terrorist that had been laying beside where Heero decked him.

_Or was that an upper cut left punch, Heero? I suppose I'll have to learn it from you someday..._

"Don't bother, Relena." Heero's droll voice was as stiff and emotionless as ever, as despite Relena's warnings, he gets to his feet on his own. He didn't even have to grit his teeth to the pain his hundred or so broken bones have ever afforded him.

Relena watches in horror and shock as the man of her dreams' arm hangs limply at his side at a contorted angle. It was so obviously badly broken that even she could tell.

"Oh, Heero! Miss Sally, hurry! I think his arm is broken! Come and---"

But before a gasping in fear Relena has the chance to blink twice, Heero Yuy had taken firm hold of the broken limb in his other---

And with a loud crack audibly heard and sharp twist inhumanly possible to stand pain such as this, Heero Yuy sets his own arm back in place. He squeezes it and then bends it, forming and unforming a fist in his "good as new" elbow and arm.

"---see..." Relena in disbelief, finishes her sentence to Sally, in awe. The elder woman joins the young princess and merely smiles. She long ago realized that this young man, Heero Yuy, was not only unbelievable in both strength and healing and stamina, but he was also astounding in his sense of purpose.

Sally knew Heero Yuy well enough, through their times together, to know that he now had a new purpose in life from the determined look in his almost machine precision blue eyes.

_And her name is 'Relena.' Boy, oh boy, if this situation is any indication, she sure is going to need you as her bodyguard, Relena. I just hope YOU can put up with this man's 'electric personality', Princess..._

Sally smiles at Heero's unresponsive emotionless attitude, even as he looks the woman he obviously, to the rest of the world, loves, in the eye.

_But I do feel your pain in that respect, little girl._ Sally thinks, not needing to lay a medical finger on Heero. _That boy can take care of himself._

She nods to him as she goes back to treating the real 'babies.' Duo was whining of hurting and needing pain killers already.

"I'm coming, I'm coming..." Sally turns with her own amused sigh, but before she leaves, she turns a head back to Heero. "I don't even have to say it, but, you're going to take care of things around here tonight, eh, Heero?" Sally didn't have to ask for her answer was clearly written in Heero Yuy's steely eyes. After all, after today's harrowing death threat and terrorist strike, there may be more danger left amongst the vast, hidden halls of the palace.

But if there was, Heero would be the man she'd want in charge here to protect the fragile peaceful kingdom. Besides, Heero had a vested interest in protecting Sanc. Relena's smile from ear to ear was enough to see just why Heero Yuy nods in answer.

And all of Sanc could sleep again tonight because of him and his protection of both the beautiful land and its beautiful princess who had somehow captured his icy hardened heart and was slowly melting it...

Slowly...


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: New Impressions

It took the better part of the evening for Lady Une and her now expanded Preventers Team, called and streaming in, to take custody of the Epyon de Telos terrorists who had been tricked into capturing themselves below ground, by her several artful new members.

Between that orderly and under tight guard commotion, and the rather disorderly securing and release count of the relieved and anxious as heck to get home hostages, well, it was quite late into this fateful night before the Preventers team were finally able to split up. Some wanted to escape the Sanc palace more than others...

For instance, while Duo Maxwell and Trowa Barton were both anxious to get back to their own respective homes as well, (with one noisily griping about the late hour and lack of sufficient dinner, and the other silently waiting in stoic patience to return to his love, ahem, 'sis', at the circus) Chang Wufei was just itching to hoof it out of this forsaken pacifist 'hellhole' in his own words, before he hears Lady Une, Relena Peacecraft or her evil-eyed lackey, Dorothy Catalonia, make one more single fancy speech, gooey dripping over with sweet honey apology to the departing guests again.

_Hmph, lucky them. Women, ick! Get me out of here!_

But there was one person who didn't want to leave. In fact, he didn't want this evening to end--ever. Quatre Raberba Winner was far too lost in his own thoughts and dreams of love now awakening to feel the wear and tear of the whole tiring episode in his body.

No, Quatre's body was sure that it would never feel tired, ever again! Not after her kiss! Her exciting kiss...

"Yo! Quatre! Yo! Houston to Space Shuttle Quatre! Wake up already, buddy! Show's over tonight!" Duo wanders over to where the golden Winner heir was quietly standing, drawn into his own deep daydreams in the safety of a semi-curtained vestibule near the entrance of the large drawing room. All the while of all the commotion of shipping the baddies out and settling the hostages, sending them on their happy ways, Quatre Winner had been like a lost soul. His usually clear and attentive aqua blue eyes had long passed spaced out, as they follow---as they have been following all evening---a certain long blonde senator, who was back in full skirt and formal dress.

Quatre's eyes were filled with nothing but utter awe...and genuine attraction...

"Oh, yes, Duo...Sorry about that...It's been..."

Quatre's slight gaze in Duo's waving crazed hand direction is overtaken again by his daze at the lace skirted vixen cutting through the room and seeing the last of the grateful hostages out the front hall door like a sharpened knife. Quatre peeks out of the curtain hole he was hiding in---there was just no other word to describe what he was doing.

"...It's been...a long night..." Quatre's voice equally concludes his sentiment but Duo didn't like the way he dreamily said that as his eyes were entranced upon Dorothy Catalonia---Dorothy Catalonia's ostentatious strutting, flourishing long fingernailed hands and gracious speechifying to the final honored guests leaving.

"Quatre, buddy, you're not really contemplatin'----" Duo, concerned older brother, as he always seemed to treat 'little bro' Quatre, ignores the aching pain of his own wounds for a moment of horrified realization of what his golden haired little buddy was seeming to be growing death-defyingly interested in doing.

_With her! You're nuts!_ Duo cringes at the thought.

"Doesn't she move beautifully? Like an aria flowing on my piano keys..." Quatre's obviously infatuated romantic musings strike a bad chord in Duo's ears. He shakes from the depths of his soul---teeth chattering---as he watches poor Quatre's eyes light up like never before as witchy Dorothy turns around. She and Relena seemed to be coming straight in the two boys' direction. But Duo's grabbing hand doesn't reach quick Quatre in time to save him from himself.

"Oh, Quatre! I didn't see you there. How are you doing after your heroic evening? I didn't have the chance to thank you properly in all of the chaos. We owe Sanc's safety to you." Relena's beyond fatigued mind and body doesn't halt her good manners. She smiles brightly as she could muster at the blonde boy who, just as if by magic, stepped right into her pathway----

And Dorothy's.

"No, not at all, Miss Relena." Quatre, too, despite the raging emotions in his chest was still a proper gentleman when it came to the niceties. He took Relena's hand in both of his with a reassuring squeeze. "We only did what was necessary to keep the pure peace of the Sanc kingdom intact." Quatre says with a belittling smile at his own deeds.

"Now, don't be so modest! I know this palace would not still be standing here if not for you courageous young men. How can I ever thank you all?" Princess Relena bows her head in homage to her kingdom's heroes, as Trowa and even Wufei (dragged over by Sally Po) join behind Duo and Quatre.

The castle was now emptying as Lady already had whisked Mariemaia back home and Relena had dismissed all the servants for a well-deserved vacance, save for faithful Pagan ,who insisted on staying on. So, the remaining group consisted of Relena, Duo Maxwell, Sally Po, Wufei Chang, Trowa Barton, Quatre Winner, Dorothy Catalonia, and...Heero.

Relena's own misty eyes didn't have to go far. She sensed how close he was trailing her from the back wings all night. Heero, her new bodyguard...

"I dunno about you guys but a late night snack might do the trick for me! Got any juicy steak leftovers from the big shindig, good lookin', before we hit the road? Geez! I'm hungry after all that rescuin' stuff!" Duo Maxwell's voice drawls out in response to Relena's heartfelt query. She and Trowa giggle at him, as Wufei hits him on the head with the back of his hand. Sally and Heero roll their eyes.

"I'm sure we can find you some suitable repast for all your good deeds, Duo. It's the least Sanc can do for you. But you'll have to put up with my cooking, as I let the servants out already. Come along, everyone. I'm afraid we'll have to 'raid the kitchen' ourselves, tonight! Did I say that right, Duo?" Relena, rather jolly, jokes with the braided boy as she hooks her arm into his and Trowa's, leading the merry troupe along (Okay, Wufei was not merry.) down the now vacant hallways.

Relena Darlian had quite a lot to be 'jolly' about, after all. Her kingdom was saved---her innocent peoples' lives were saved, the villains apprehended and peace secured again.

And most of all, Heero was here now.

Relena's smile was from ear to ear as she and Duo skip happily to the kitchen for a triumphant midnight snack. Growling tummied Wufei and pushy Sally Po were behind well-behaved Trowa, with Heero right on their tail, silently trailing, his gun still at the ready.

Now that left two certain young people standing in the front hallway. Quatre Raberba Winner and Dorothy Catalonia were watching the happy gang skip arm in arm down the 'yellow brick road', so to speak, with Miss Relena. Two powerful influential names like theirs were certain to cross swords for starters, tonight. Their eyes meet. The tension was so high between them that it filled the room with the silence.

"What's the matter, Quatre Winner? Aren't you hungry as well?" Dorothy finally breaks the disturbing silence with a harried quip. She pasted that signature smile on her lips forcibly pulling her eyes away from his all-encompassing stare. "After all, you've had nonstop, twenty-four hours of excitement. You must be starving." Dorothy finds herself wishing that she had just let her heels take her to the kitchen with Miss Relena all of a sudden because Quatre Raberba Winner's eyes were boring down into her like---like---

Two fires blazing in the darkness.

"No, actually, I'm not. It's strange, but...food's not what I hunger for." Quatre, rather flirtatiously, says. He takes both of Dorothy's hands in his. "Dorothy..." Quatre's eyes soften as he gazes at her.

Her beautiful face, her beautiful eyes, her beautiful lips...

He could taste them all over again as he begins to lean down in towards her dazed face...

Dorothy's eyes open wider and wider, the closer his face comes to hers.

_Don't feint the same way twice in battle---never lose control of the duel._

"Good night, Quatre Raberba Winner." The blonde vixen shakes herself loose from his gripping arms. She backs up to the bottom of the staircase and with that same graceful flourish, curtsies, turns and quickly dashes up the steps towards her bedroom. It was obvious even to lovestruck Quatre that the famed senator intended to go alone.

"Good night, Dorothy Catalonia." Quatre almost sadly answers in kind. His eyes were filled with that certain fire that slowly dimmed as outside the window a dark cloud passed over, shadowing the bright moonlight she had sparkled in.

Just as she was about to turn the corner to the second flight of winding stairs leading up to her lonely room, Dorothy pauses in mid step. She sensed his saddened eyes on her back, feeling his desire not to let her go---not now that they had fallen in...

The moonlight breaks through the shadows once again.

"Just don't be late tomorrow morning, bright and early! Mornings are when I'm at my best." Dorothy suddenly says.

"Huh?" Quatre was dumbfounded by his words---and excited to hear her say them to him, all at once.

"Well, if I recall our arrangement correctly, Master Winner, you have some shipments in need of my careful inspection, do you not? After all, Mr. Milliardo's wonderful terraforming project on his new Colony on Mars is in desperate need of some prohibited supplies. The transport of which only a designated delegate of the EUN must personally supervise---namely, me, Quatre Raberba Winner. I'm sure you have the arrangements made already." Dorothy takes a breath to raise one eyebrow elegantly as she looks down at him from her lofty spot. "Bright and early now. I'll be waiting." Dorothy states finally as she ascends the steps and leaves. She waved her ominous hand cavalierly towards he who those delicate hands held such infinite power over.

"Me, too, Dorothy..."

Quatre whispers to the cool wind coming in the shattered glass windowpanes.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: A New Mission

_Later that already late night..._

It was more like pre-dawn by the time Relena Darlian was waving a grateful farewell to her kingdom's handsome "knights and warriors." It would be a rather humorous scene of them leaving---Duo and Sally had both imbibed a bit too much of the Sanc Palace's ample supply of cooking sherry to celebrate their victory and wash their steak sandwiches down.

_The way the princess cooks 'em into cowhide---it's a good thing Trowa had managed to wrestle and pan and spatula from the girl or we'd be eatin' charcoal meat!_

So, as it was, true knight in shining armor Trowa Barton, and a rather anxious to greet the new morning Quatre Winner, had to nearly carry the pair out the front door to some waiting limousines Quatre R. Winner had supplied.

Relena watches them all go, smiling as she spots 'kind gentleman' Wufei Chang trailing behind the whole gang in irritation, until Sally Po, intoxicated as she was, grabs his grudgingly protesting self by the scruff of his neck and yanks him into the limo. The car door is slammed shut by Quatre, who turns to wave up at Relena and then he gives a long meaningful stare at the building to another certain occupant, long sealed within the safe confines of her closed drapery, palace bedroom window...

"They certainly are a pleasant group of fine, young men." Relena comments, as Quatre Winner finally lets his gaze go. He woke up from this daze after Duo started beeping the carhorn, sitting near the front seat, much to the contempt of the Maguanac Corp limo driver inside.

So Quatre hops into the vehicle and it speeds away into the peaceful countryside's distance.

"They are that, Princess." Pagan was still hard at work sweeping up the ceiling's cracked paint dust and spackle that had been showered down the room by the terrorists' unfeeling gunfire.

"Oh! Pagan, you're not still cleaning!" Relena turns her fanciful expression into that stern, serious one. She had already told her faithful old servant that he was to stop working and go take a rest at once, after the day's tumultuous events.

The dear, sweet man deserved at least that.

"Go to bed at once. That is an order from your Princess." Relena evokes her royal powers, directing a finger pointing towards the old servant's room, out the parlor door.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Pagan says respectfully, though the look on his tired, old face was full of hesitation and uncertainty to leave the young girl he believed under his dutiful charge, alone with...

Relena's strict gaze in Pagan's eyes follow his to land on the cause of his worry. Heero Yuy's silent silhouette was foreboding in the dark, far corner of the room.

Heero had a new mission in life and he was not about to let her out of his sight for one minute, especially not tonight.

_Oh..._

Relena smiles a soft, knowing smile as she whispers a response to Pagan's unasked query.

"I'll be fine, Pagan. I've never felt more safe before in my entire life. Please don't worry on my behalf." Relena whispers sincerely, motioning for the manservant to leave and get some well deserved rest at long last.

And so he does. Pagan nods, believing in his monarch's judgement as he goes to the double doors, giving a respectful headbow and disappearing down the empty corridors of the Sanc Palace, leaving innocent Relena Darlian alone with Heero Yuy, just as she wanted.

She meets his eyes---his cold as ice eyes, that, to the observant viewer, softened ever so slightly as they connect with Relena's trembling blue ones.

"Heero..."

It's all she says as she takes one tentative step towards his inanimate form that had remained leaning against the far wall behind the tall, ornate China cabinet all this time, as if he was no more than a statue in the palace silenting observing...

There was so much she wanted to say and yet...Relena stares into Heero's blank eyes as she pauses elegantly in her step, standing perfectly still before him. She begins to tremble all over.

"Let's get you to bed, Relena." Heero finally says---more like orders. It was not an option for her to decide whether or not she was ready to retire or not. Heero, as her bodyguard, was now the one making all the decisions that affected her health, safety, and well-being from here on in.

Relena wasn't too sure if she liked that, but----

_What does it matter? Heero's here with me!_

She smiles as he coldly strides past her, opening the door and ushering her out as if she was a stranger.

_Fine._

Relena closes her eyes, and follows. The smile never leaves her face as she walks towards the marble staircase.

_Mars_

"Zechs! Calm down. All the reports said that Sanc is safe now. You heard yourself---the hostages have all been freed. The news says the palace is no longer in any danger."

Sometimes Lucrezia Noin-Peacecraft wondered if her husband ever paid any attention to her at all beyond at night. And even that was becoming rather too infrequent as of late. Zechs' mind was in too much turmoil over his sweet little sister now throwing her hat into the public eye's arena. It made him anxious, even more than usual.

"Zechs?"

Noin now wished she never allowed her insomnia cursed partner to switch the radio in their room on during the hours of the night, when he was supposed to be sleeping soundly.

But her husband had a worrisome nature and stubborn streak combined. Beneath all that beautiful length of platinum blonde hair, his mind that thought too much never quite let go of his tormented responsibilities. She thought this as she chased him, in her bare feet, down their makeshift home's makeshift hallway of the filled as yet, with crates and boxes of supplies, that were a necessity on this new Colony, just now starting to take shape as a world---as their home.

But right now, the look in his crazed eyes, the insane way he was acting---rampaging through their small abode in his shorts, Noin was certain that Zechs'---no, Milliardo's---true home, was still on Earth.

With his kingdom and his family---Miss Relena.

"I don't give a damn what time it is! Get me Sanc's secure line 101, NOW!" By the time Noin catches up to her long-legged love, he was already seated at their enviro-room's communication desk, speaking (more like barking) to the Mars' operator to the Earth's communication line rather curtly.

Sighing, Noin turns on the lights that he didn't even bother to switch on in his rushed anxiety to discover the fate of his forsaken kingdom and that of his only little sister...

After her evening's ablutions, Relena changes into her nightdress inside her luxurious walk-in wardrobe bathroom. She pauses at the large mirror over the sink long enough to look herself in the eye.

_It's been quite a night, hasn't it, Relena?_

She asks herself with that airy, affected attitude of pleasantry that she, as a politician and public speaker, generally acquired as a winning personality. But somewhere deep inside, buried beneath the outer cloak of that strong, responsible woman, was still a little girl. The one who would pretend to have a stiff upper lip, although her insides were really trembling. The little girl who could so easily be brought to tears----

Tears of both fear and sadness---and also of happiness...

Relena wipes away the one forbidden tear threatening to come down her cheek. She smoothes her hair back after running the brush stroke through it one more time.

_I'll skip one hundred and do only fifty for tonight. There! I wonder why though..._

Relena begins to ask herself as she wriggles her nightwrap off, walking out of the bathroom she'd been dawdling in for quite a while now, in just her filmy nightgown.

_...Why didn't Heero answer me when I bade him 'good night' at my bedroom door?_

Relena shrugs the question to herself off as she collapses onto her bed. She was so tired that she felt she could sleep forev---

_**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**_

When the vidphone suddenly begins chirping, Relena, (if she hadn't been a pacifist), could swear at it or throw something for it to be quiet and let her rest, for heaven's sake!

_Leave me be!_

She throws her fluffy pillows and silken sheets and covers over her fatigued head in protest.

_**BEEP BEEP**_

"Sanc Kingdom Palace here."

Heero's deadpan voice awakens Relena from her already only half-sleeping state. She slowly opens her eyes against the dark mattress, soaking in the nearness of his voice to her bed that she had just thrown her tired body on and buried herself in like a ferret furrowing a hole to hibernate for the winter, as if no one else was there...

"HEERO YUY! What are you doing in Sanc?"

Obviously the first reports on the news didn't go into full detail of exactly who was involved in the pacifist kingdom's rescue mission. The familiar face of Heero Yuy was not exactly the one Milliardo Peacecraft expected to see on the other end of his precious little sister's PRIVATE BEDROOM vid-phone line.

"Milliardo...?" Relena reacts to her big brother's voice before she quite thinks it all out. She, in a hurry, sits up and throws off all the sheets and covers entangled about her burrowed body. Relena, ready to race to the vid-screen to tell her dear brother that she and the kingdom were both safe and fine, and that she wished she could be in one of his big brother bear hugs right now and---

"RELENA! WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THAT AND WHY IS HEERO YUY IN YOUR BEDROOM!"

The 'bear' in Zechs was more baring his fangs and claws, than prepared to give a warm hug. Zechs blew a fuse when his angry eyes behold the scene of little sister Relena in a rather revealing nightdress, all flustered, harried, with her hair all askew---

With one short, little punk Heero Yuy right in her bedroom at arm's reach...

But Heero doesn't even flinch. His eyes only narrow at the pale blonde man's about to explode face on the screen.

"RELENA! Answer your older brother NOW!" Zechs reiterates.

Heero merely stands up from the desk he was seated at, and turns to the girl, trembling in fear of her elder brother's wrath at the crumpled and disheveled pile of bedclothes on the mattress.

"Relena. It's your brother." Heero says simply, their eyes meeting.

Suddenly, Relena isn't scared anymore. Suddenly, she has the courage to answer the angry questions with nothing but the sincerity and innocent truths of her heart.

"Thank you, Heero." Relena politely answers, elegantly poised as possible, she slowly unravels herself from the bedsheets, taking her time walking to the desk, the whole way, making Zechs wait before she deems to answer his barked out demand.

She takes a deep breath as she sits down.

"Hello, Milliardo. How are you this evening?" Relena nonchalantly speaks with a forced smile at her overbearing sibling.

"Relena! Why is Heero---!" Zechs begins to demand again, but Relena coquettishly cuts him off.

"---I'm doing just fine, big brother. Thank you SO MUCH for asking right off." She could hold her own in a debate as Zechs' spazzing mouth was humbled and a dumbfounded look crosses his pale blue eyes.

"Relena, I---" A bit calmer now, the tamed and shamed man tries to get a word in edgewise.

No luck.

"The kingdom is safe and secure once again, thanks to a very special and talented team of Preventers." Relena smiles her most patronizing, yet still lovely smile at her struck quiet, blustery brother.

"Considering my political future in the public eye, Mr. Yuy has kindly volunteered to stay on as my personal bodyguard to ensure my safety in the future and I have accepted, gratefully." Relena states as if she was making an important political speech---more like a declaration, in her lacy pink nightdress.

"I already feel so much more protected knowing that Heero will be watching out for my safety and well-being as my personal bodyguard from now on. Knowing how he saved the world, and this kingdom, so many times, like tonight, I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather rely on than him. Don't you agree, big brother?" Relena unabashedly compliments Heero and dares to humble Zechs, all in the same well-chosen breath.

Noin almost chuckles as her lion-maned husband is forced into a corner in which he hasn't much room for recourse---by his little sister no less, because it was all true. Every word she spoke about Heero and his protection was the absolute truth.

Zechs would just have to grit his teeth and bear it.

_For now, I suppose..._

Zechs stares deeply into Relena's clear blue eyes. Even across the communication screens spanning a vast distance, Zechs could see the same conviction in his sister's eye---that same stubborn jaw, jutting out, that she had as a tiny, disobedient child. That same inner strength she had come to show him---and the entire world---as a determined young woman who could change it.

_Grunt, sigh..._

"All right, Relena. It's worked for you so far. You and your 'Heero.' If that's what you want to do, Relena, I've learned, over time, there's no holding you back once you've made up your mind. I guess whatever it takes, as long as you're safe."

Zechs finally, grudgingly, capitulates, closing his angry eyes and opening resigned ones to meet her now sparkling ones directed at him.

"Thank you, big brother. Don't worry. I'll be fine." Relena smiles from ear to ear now. Her white, white teeth were gleaming, so pleased was she, that she looked like she was about to kiss the vid-screen.

But Zechs was safe a planet away from his over-cuddly younger sister. However---

"Sister Noin! Give my worry wart of a brother a big kiss everytime he broods about me, okay? I've had a terrible two days, so I'm off to get some sleep now. Through all of this, I was just thinking...I just wanted to say...I love you, Milliardo. I'll talk to you again soon, all right? Sleep well---I will! And I'll see both of you very soon. Remember, till then----_Smooch!"_

Relena makes the cutest little "smoochy" face at her big brother on viewscreen as she hits the power button off, severing their connection. Zechs' smile at her sweet innocence is tainted a bit at the end though when he spies Heero's dark shadow skulking behind his delicate, nightgowned, pure sister Relena, in the far corner of the room, just beyond her messy bed.

"I swear, if Heero even touches my cute little sister, I'll..." Zechs begins to threaten the empty air, even as the last shot of Relena's happy face goes dark and blank again on his communicator screen.

_SMOOCH!_

Noin lands a smashing kiss on Zechs' surprised lips, landing it hard, strong and deep until she was sitting on his lap.

"Noin! Why did you just do that?" Zechs manages to say as their lips finally part from the embrace. His arms were somewhere, along the way, finding themselves around her little waist.

Noin smiles that wicked small smile of hers that was for her husband alone. Her deep blue eyes sparkle at him in the darkness as she commands the lights to dim.

"Because Miss Relena instructed me to, didn't she?" Noin chuckles, caressing Zechs' muscular chest. After all, this was the least she could do for the man she loved---to take his mind off his troubles.

"Yes, but..." Zechs trails off. His anxious mind goes back to Relena.

"And Zechs, of everyone in the world, Miss Relena always knows the right thing to do. I truly trust in her...and so should you." She pokes at his chest playfully, yet meaningfully, laying her head against its strength as he easily lifts her to return to their room.

"Yeah, trust..." The doubt in his faded, ice blue eyes was almost nonexistent now...almost...

"Relena, yes...Heero, no..."

But Zechs didn't really have to worry about that certain subject tonight. Relena indeed had bid her heroic Heero the sweetest of goodnights as he, unconcernedly, takes a seat back at the desk she had just alighted from.

After expending a sigh of breath, Relena ponders.

_Big brothers are such worried creatures! Hmph!_

Heero, unfazed by either girl or big brother's scary face, and even scarier voice, accompanied by many an unspoken threat, turns his full attention on the computer screen. Heero mechanically begins typing as if he did not care even in the slightest for the nightgowned lady climbing into the bed.

_That's fine with me, Heero. You ARE here, so I'm not really alone, am I? _

"I said 'Good night,' Heero." Relena repeats her adieu again, going with the premise that her new bodyguard wasn't really ignoring---no, he simply didn't hear her the first time.

Silence. Save for the clickety clack of ninety words a minute on the keys.

"...And 'thank you', Heero. Thank you for coming back. Thank you for being here for me." Relena says, in a tone even softer, sweetly, kindly staring at the back of his head.

She just about gives up when he doesn't even turn around, as if he were deaf and dumb to her, so she shrugs her fatigued shoulders and shimmies down to her pillow, tucking the rumpled sheets around her, but now with one extra sigh.

"You're welcome, but it's my job now. Good night, Relena."

Heero's monotone voice drawls out. He was never one for societal niceties, however...

It was all going to be part of the job and Relena could sleep easier at nights, just knowing that he was near---very near.

She finally falls into a well-deserved sleep, with a smile on her pleasantly dreaming face.

And Heero was there, still at the computer terminal, wide awake, ready for any sudden danger. His eyes and ears were open to any sound, or movement in the now still and peaceful Peacecraft palace.

His driven, singular concern for the safety of the influential nation's fateful ruler and leader. Every once in a while, Heero Yuy's calculating gaze moves up from his numerical computer keys, just to make sure there were no threats, no dangers, from any enemies who may be in the shadows. Every window was secured and every door locked tightly shut---for this was Heero's new, unendying mission. His stalwart duty, his new destiny----

_A destiny it seems I am unable to escape._

Heero's mind is allowed this one stray thought as he silently strides over to her bedside sometime in the quiet and still early hours of the morning. His cold as ice eyes mechanically scan the silent noiseless area---until they rest upon her lovely, peaceful slumbering face.

She was so calming to his chaotic soul, that the ice in his chest begins to slowly melt----as the warm sun continues to rise high into the northern sky...


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: A Golden Morning

"Master Quatre, are you sure about this?" The voice of Abdul comes from the front driver's seat to the plush passenger end of the lengthy black limousine he was driving.

"To what are you referring to, Abdul? Do you think it's a little too early in the morning?" The small, squeaky voice coming through the clear glass window between the driver's section and the rear of the limo was only concerned with arriving to his destination on time, it seemed----that and the continual spacey comments on what a beautiful morning it was, how beautiful the sky was and all other "beautiful" scenery along the road through Norwegian backroads that led to the Sanc Kingdom's palace.

Now it wasn't that peculiar for kind Master Quatre to get caught up in such flights of fancy that only noblemen and "masters" were permitted. But every once in a while, with a glance in the rear view mirror, the Arabian had observed his master in the far back seat. Abdul was sure he saw unspoken, mouthed words on Quatre's lips. Abdul was fairly shocked to see his youthful master whisper to no one with a certain dreamy, wistful expression pasted all over his delirious face. Abdul strained both ears and adjusted his glasses to catch sight of the resulting whisper that kept escaping Quatre's lips. Nosy Abdul couldn't quite make out the two syllable word said with such a smile and intense feeling until their hour long drive from the classy hotel was almost over.

"Dorothy..."

Abdul's eyebrows raise at the obvious lovestruck look on Quatre's "happy as a clam" face.

_The Master's in love with a girl! A girl named 'Dorothy.' Do I know that name from something Mr. Rasid mentioned recently? Why don't I ever pay attention when he---_

Abdul was a bit of the absent-minded sort----pleasant in his fezz but always ditzy. He never listened long to one of Mr. Rasid's monotonous lectures.

_I'm usually the object of being lectured...ooh..._

As for his mind lately, he was far too busy surveying all the gorgeous females throwing themselves at Master Quatre's handsome, wealthy and famous feet.

_Literally sometimes! Lucky I'm there to catch them--hee hee hee... I don't know why, they don't look like miner's daughters to me. They look pretty good!_

Not one of those "gold-diggers," as Rasid referred to them, were to get through the 40 "Arabian Knights" who swore to uphold Master Quatre's high standards of integrity----

Until now.

_I'm sure Mr. Rasid said that this Dorothy has enough money of her own! This one's not one of those gold-digger vipers! I'm sure Master Quatre is just being kind to the honorable representative who has been good enough to accompany us on the shuttle and approve of our shipment's transport to honorable Miss Noin-Peacecraft's Colony. After all, Mr. Rasid can be just an old stick in the mud sometimes! I, for one, don't consider all women evil. And I'm sure this kind and honorable Earth senator is just being-----_

As the limo pulls to a stop at the Sanc Palace's front entrance, Abdul almost chokes on his own pleasant thoughts that were passing through his skull as a shrill call comes from the windowsill somewhere overhead.

The screeching, vile sound of its high-pitched whine was similar in tone to the sharpened, metallic shriek of a guillotine coming down.

"YOU'RE LATE, QUATRE RABERBA WINNER! It's certainly taken you long enough! Did you expect a lady to wait for you forever! Hmmm? Come have your little man fetch my bags!"

_CHOP!_

"Good morning!" Master Quatre, however, seemed quite undaunted by this platinum blonde vixen's barrage of snide introductory comments. He quickly scrambled out of the car, to stand staring up at Dorothy Catalonia in the open window. His hand shaded his eyes from the blinding golden light, pouring down rays, upon his upturned face.

And the sun's morning beams were pretty hot and blinding as well.

"Good morning." Dorothy answers in that annoyed, Miss prissy way. Her well-turned nose was up in the air at her late visitor.

"You were right, Dorothy." Quatre doesn't even notice her snobbish attitude towards him. He only saw the radiance as she walks out onto the open balcony terrace of her room, with her hands on her annoyed hips all the while.

"You do look especially radiant in the morning," It wasn't mere flattery. Quatre truly felt this was fact as he continued to gaze up through the gleaming light towards her. Now what he says next WAS flirtation, pure and simple.

"...Princess..." He finishes with a suave, charming air. Naturally, Dorothy is taken aback by his...forwardness, and yet...her surprised eyes widen at the golden Winner heir who was acting like a casanova, leaning up against his limo and snapping on a pair of designer shades that was hence situated on his golden fluffy blonde forehead. Once over his smiling eyes, a similar smile directed up at her was intensifying.

_Well, Mr. Winner, two can play at this game._

"Since you put it that way, Master Winner, I suppose I can deem to overlook your tardiness----today." Dorothy lays on her own interesting brand of flirting. She props her chin up with two elbows on the balcony's stone edge, looking over and down at him. "Why don't you and your manservant both come and fetch me----and a few little things I've packed, so we can begin this little journey of yours that much quicker already?" Dorothy innocently (enough) bats her long eyelashes down at her new suitor. She then simply spins on her heel to await his hopefully timely arrival, begging forgiveness at her doorstep.

"Yes, Dorothy! Right away! But, Abdul's my good friend---not my---Oh, never mind. Come on, Abdul." Master Quatre jauntily calls to his "manservant." He had given up the explanation of his "masterful" connections to his Maguanac Corps of comrades the moment Dorothy Catalonia's figure disappeared from the balcony.

_I can explain it all to her later, in detail._

Quatre thinks as he skips up the stone steps leading to the Sanc Kingdom's front entrance.

_After all, we're going to be spending a LOT of time together on board the shuttle ride to Mars. A lot of free time..._

The happy-go-lucky greeting Quatre bestows upon "dear, dear Pagan" as the elderly gent opens the door for him added to the giddy way he was skipping---almost dancing---up the long winding flight of steps to a certain girl's guest quarters.

The smile that never leaves his handsome face the whole time was evidence enough as it especially lights up with Miss Dorothy Catalonia opens her bedroom door and begins ordering the pair of men around to fetch and carry her little luggage as if she owned the world---

And them along with it, making Abdul wish he was anywhere but here.

_Curses on your moustache, Achmed, for giving me this assignment today! Just because I lost one poker game last night..._

"Here, take this---GENTLY. That's expensive luggage, boy."

And though Abdul lost his game, his Master Quatre felt like he had won his own pot of gold, striking it rich in the beautiful woman named 'Dorothy.' But it wasn't the gold-plated and rather heavy suitcases and trunks that made this Colony leader think he was a winner.

No, the particular golden Grand Prize was waiting to tantalize him at the front door entrance of the Sanc Kingdom palace. Dorothy Catalonia never looked more radiant as she stepped out onto the stone pathway, bedazzling him in a lovely golden business suit that catches the glimmering rays of the sun when she strode out into the morn.

"Miss Dorothy, I----" Quatre turns from his and Abdul's struggle with the luggage, with an eye at her beauty, begins to profusely apologize for not personally escorting her down the steps from her room.

_That's the gentlemanly thing to do, right? Oh, Dorothy, you're so beautiful!_

"You don't have to bother collecting little old me! I can walk down the steps just fine on my own, Master Winner." Dorothy airily says, but before one more golden heel takes another step forward, Quatre is at her side, kindly offering his arm out to her, though her nose was upturned towards him.

Quatre didn't seem to notice any testiness on her part, despite all the battering, beating he has had to withstand thus far.

"Please allow me, Miss Dorothy." The golden heir to a billion dollar empire belittles himself at her feet. She takes pity upon him and his stunningly clear eyes that looked like a cute little puppy at her, and suddenly grants him one of her most gorgeous smiles.

_And so early in the morning, too. Hee hee hee..._

"Of course, Master Winn----Oh, what am I saying!" Looking quite the couple, Dorothy pauses midstride, down the entrance, on his arm as if she owned it and directed her most bewitching eyes upon him. "We ARE going to be in rather close quarters soon aboard your space transport. So we might as well address one another on a more familiar basis." Dorothy states, tugging him along again towards the limo as she speaks. Quatre hung on every word uttered from her tasty---ahem---lovely lips.

_I know how I'd like to address you, my princess..._

"Quatre." Dorothy's single word, along with her singular raised eyebrow look at the lost-in-his-own-dreamworld young man, making him light up. He was so happy to entice her along with him into the fantasy world he was dreaming up for the two of them.

"Yes, Dorothy." Quatre's eyes lock in hers as he seats her in the limousine. Their tentative hands touch for a brief, but everlasting moment. "I couldn't agree more." His smile turns serious as he slams the ebony door shut behind him. Dorothy Catalonia, of her own doing, unknowingly, unwillingly and half uncertainly, embarked on her fate--her destiny---her new----

"OHHH! Wait, Abdud! Hold the car!"

The brakes screech to a stop as she shrieks out suddenly, breaking both eye and hand with Quatre.

"Go and hand this to Pagan. I almost forgot to leave Miss Relena my note of my leaving---not that I think she'll be needing MY company, however valuable, for the time being." Dorothy rather huffily orders as she leans over Quatre, handing "Abdud" the prewritten message through the limo's glass window.

Abdul puts the ready-to-roll limo in park, while he sighs, rolling his eyes at the evil viper woman and gets out of the car to deliver her mail.

_You and I both got what we wanted---and right where we wanted them, too..._

Dorothy thinks as her cascading platinum hair was draped all over Quatre's lap, making QRW's expression quite a lovely one to behold. Dorothy smiles back at him as well as Abdul returns and limo takes off at top speed towards the spaceport.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Graduation Day

"Abdul----you're late." Rashid's greeting to his fellow Maguanac Corp member was almost as threatening as the tall, dark leader's eyes. Abdul gulps down behind his circular shades, wishing today would already get started with, so it could end all the quicker.

_A thousand curses on your moustache and your fezz as well, Achmed! What I haven't put up with this morning with that evil-eyed one! And now the Captain is angered with me as well? Curses! All because of that devil herself!_

"We...um...ran into some...difficulties with the cargo." Abdul tries to gently explain as he steps out of the limo's driver's side. His eyes behind the dark glasses roll as his head motions towards the bulging tied down trunk of the extra-large limousine.

"Oh, did you?" Rashid's deep voice conveyed his own understanding of Dorothy Catalonia, aka as "Viper woman" to them; and everything undesirable that came with her spider-like territory. But as both he and Abdul peer through the little crack in the limo's driver to passenger area peephole, it seemed to both of them that the master didn't find the despicable woman undesirable at all.

In fact, it seemed quite the opposite...

Dorothy's incessant chattering all along the drive were halted it seemed, somewhere along the way. Quatre Raberba Winner's eyes and lips were all too eager, though she was able to snake out of his arms and kiss as the limo door was yanked open by Master Quatre's greatest defender from clutching feminine claws.

Rashid almost growls audibly at the sight of the wicked eyed Senator's claws dug firmly into his 'master's' bare arms as she tries to get away.

"Kindly remove your hands from my person, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy Catalonia's voice was flustered to say the least. She felt rather...mortified...to have the Winner heir's 'little trained minions' gawking at her in such an embarrassing state of discomfort as she bats away the remainder of Quatre's arms around her.

"My expensive, needing to be very gently handled luggage---which is 24 carat gold plated---is in the boot of this---ahem---limo. See to its safe loading on board your vessel and send it directly to my room. That's where I'll be for most of this...blessed ride." Dorothy Catalonia's refined and purposeful, methodical way of life was going through quite a rollercoaster ride of its own. Neither her screaming mind nor her thumping heart knew quite what to make of the meek looking Master Winner's sudden transformation into a manly...man, in the past 24 hours.

His smooth-talking, inviting lips and hands during the last two minutes the limo drive was unexpected, unsettling------and absolutely driving her mad.

_Of all the conceited, arrogant----ooh! That man! Who does he think he is to touch me like that! Just because I allowed him to kiss me before doesn't mean he can just take liberties! I can't wait for this all to be over and I can go back to being me._

"Let's get this over with!" Filled with dutiful scorn, Dorothy erupts from the open car door. "Get out of my way, Ramid!" With a rudely, royal thrust of her hand to his tall, towering form shadowing her path, she tosses her long blonde hair over her shoulder. It glimmered in the bright sunlight and followed her, as Senator Dorothy Catalonia marches up the shuttlecraft's entrance plank as if she owned the joint---and perhaps someday...she would.

Handsome billionaire Quatre Raberba Winner steps out from the limousine watching her breathtaking trail until she disappears; to him, the sunlight seemed to disappear with her.

"Are you sure about this, Master Quatre?" Rashid's low voice didn't even have to say it, but he does anyway. The thought 'let's leave this viper woman here on Earth and just go without her' was written on his every dark, and growing darker, feature.

"Oh, yes." Quatre's softest voice was almost wistful, yet firmly strong in his conviction as clear aqua eyes meet Rashid's grim ones. "I'm absolutely sure about her."

Gingerly touching the traces of fresh ruby red lipstick still on his lips, the hopeless romantic Quatre was could still smell the scent of her overpowering perfume encompassing the closed interior of the limousine. He blamed it for his lack of control in stealing another kiss at the last moment from the woman he now knew he was in love with.

"The soul of outer space tells me she's the one." Quatre's undaunted dreamy expression whispers as he trails the 'evil' senator, bounding up the shuttle's plank. It was enough to make Abdul's jaw drop. Rashid merely rolls his eyes, resigning himself to this most unpleasant of missions now.

_All because of that viper woman's witchcraft over you. 'The soul of outer space?' Not that again..._

Rashid's eyes roll straight up towards the ominous space they were about to embark upon. Outer space was a very dark place today, indeed.

It wasn't only Rashid who was of that opinion right about now. A dark, gloomy haze was about to fall over one poor man upon his own hurried return to outer space.

The first step this orphan No-Name took back again on the soil of this Colony that was not his home was in anxious hope of nothing more than to see her sweet face again.

He races as fast as his long stride would take him, to hear her cute voice call out his name, singing all the while, as she would grab hold of his arm in her dainty hands. She would then brush back feminine tears of joy at seeing him again, saying over and over how much she had missed and worried over him. Then she would jauntily swirl her curled hair to and fro, giddily greeting him with all the happy talk abuzz at such a pleasant, joyful place as a circus.

However---

"Oh, Trowa! You're back...so soon..." Cathrine Bloom's usually high-strung voice was not that at all today. Her pretty face turns colors with something like...guilt...as she offhandedly--too quickly---gives Trowa Barton a hesitant greeting, diverting her lovely purple eyes as she looks down.

Now Trowa knew that his Cathy was having a bit of a hard time accepting their new relationship, just starting to bloom from the brother/sister sibling thing she had going on in her mind before. But the way Cathrine was acting now was way too much for even that.

None of her teary eyed, hysterical blubbering at his dangerous mission's return---no making him 'promise' not to ever do it again in that worried 'big sister' voice---no incessant chattering that generally followed either or both of which.

Nope.

Just her hands behind her back, her head hung, and diverted eyes that told Trowa only her total feeling of shamed guilt at something he had no idea of---but was now about to find out...

"Hi, Cathy. What's going on here?" Trowa lets his attention follow Cathrine's guilt-ridden gaze across the flat grassland of this L3 Colony that Manager was given a permit to run and park his Circus tent and troupe upon. The troupe itself was growing thinner and thinner of late. The life of an interplanetary travelling Circus didn't draw either the adoring crowds looking for thrills or the talented performers willing to be over-worked, over-travelled and under-paid by this skinflint of a manager, who always seemed more interested in his live animals and their well-cared for trainers, than the human performers.

The lions, the monkeys, trick bears---they never complained of over-grueling work or about raises in salaries. Nor did they bellyache of suitable living arrangements. No, they were perfectly content as long as their cages were kept clean, their food was ample and on time, and they were well-treated.

Manager was liking the live animal side of the circus more and more as compared to the troublesome riffraff and untalented vagabonds who were traipsing in and out of his circus nowadays.

_If only I could run this Circus with the animals as the main attraction. After all, the children are the folks who belong to the circus and they love the animals most of all. Sometimes, if it weren't for good kids like Cathrine and Trowa..._

Manager's hopeful, greying eyes come back from his AA&A (All Animals & Acrobats) Circus dreams to spy out his window at where those said couple of kids were strolling together in the dusty path leading to Manager's 'office.' (Three crates piled together--one atop another in the back of the campgrounds, amidst the peace of lions, tigers and bear cages. Oh my!)

It seemed that it was only here with the animals, far away from the hustle and bustle of the quarreling at scheduling and financial bookings in the broad daylight, that Manager could find serenity as he works beside the big top.

But even his prized acrobat and almost daughterly knife-throwing star, who were walking this way, were about to disturb his five minutes of peace from the sound of their conversation that both he and the lion pick up on the wind.

'Girl' raises his befurred head with a grumble from the slumber he was enjoying at his wrestling partner's sudden troubled words. The lion looks to his keeper---to find Manager's 'throne' of crates deserted. His treasured schedule book fell flat to the ground.

"...I don't have a trailer anymore...?" Trowa's voice is unusually taken off his guard at Cathrine's guilty explanation of why the entire camp that Trowa had left intact only a day or two ago was all moved and quite empty looking. Wheel wagon tracks and dug out posts in the ground were all that was left remaining in the place where Trowa's own makeshift trailer once stood.

"Well...now that you mention it...no." Cathrine was doing her darndest from offerings of practice to lunch to a quick soup treat, to keep Trowa from walking towards the spot where only a big, empty space of air now stood in the place of his trailer.

Sure, it was beat up and old---and half rotting away in some weather-worn spots, especially the creaky and cracked non-existent stair entrance---but what did those little obstacles matter to a skilled aerobat who required neither steps nor guardrails? A flipped out spin every morning to invigorate the soul did the trick! But even skilled acrobats needed a bed and a roof over their head.

Trowa didn't begrudge Manager for selling it out from under him after he had left so suddenly, but----

His knapsack falls to the ground in a pile of depressed dust.

"You see, Trowa. The morning after you left, there was an unexpected visit from a health inspector. He went around the tent and every one of our trailers! Sneaking about and squirreling for health hazards or regulation violations----or some big words like that. Manager almost went into a conniption fit when that weasel of an inspector condemned your trailer. Just because that stupid man tripped and fell out the door on his face! He didn't give it the jump---like you usually do, you know. And then he said that your trailer 'fell way under the Red Cross' mandatory rules for health conditions.'" Cathrine prattles on and on as Trowa stares at her and big, empty hole with blinking eyes.

"...Then the local authorities took possession of it the next day! It's out of our hands now." Cathrine makes a sad face as she meets Trowa's disbelieving eyes for the first time since she saw him again. "Manager was soooo angry, but I told him that you could live in my place again! Even if you don't have amnesia anymore---it wouldn't be so bad...would it?...Trowa? Did you hear me?" Cathrine looks over at her companion with her most hopeful, most pleasant smile. It fades when Trowa's own face falls into self-loathing as a dark gloom descends over his entire being.

"Of course, if you want a new one, all you have to do is tell Manager." Cathrine keeps on the pasted, smiley face as she drags the depressed man over to her own trailer. She parts the lacy, flowery curtain hanging over her trailer's front door and pulls Trowa into its homey feel.

From the pink lace covering over the standard issue couch seats, to the lavender wall-papered interior, every corner of this tiny trailer exuded Cathrine Bloom's personality---her look, her scent...

And those were all reasons why Trowa didn't feel comfortable at the thought of living in her trailer anymore. Maybe before they could. But not now---now that Cathrine was his----

"I've been thinking about this for a long time." Cathrine begins giggling nervously as she quickly scoops up one discarded purple brassiere on the countertop as she almost bangs her head on the low ceiling with her rushed, harried movements.

"I know of course, it's a little small and narrow, but I try to keep it tidy and..." Cathrine's head swivels back and forth as she looks for some good points to point out about her little home. But right now, she was having quite a hard time to find any. "Ummmm, if you don't want to though..." She shamefacedly hangs her head again.

"No, it's not that." Trowa dismisses her red-faced shame with a head shake. "It's just...this...This is all right with you, Cathrine?" He asks, growing more insecure with each word.

"Oh? Was I too hasty? Of course, it won't always be like when you were living with me when you had amnesia..." Cathrine tries to justify herself, proving only to confuse both of them.

"...Why are you mentioning that now?" Trowa's face sweatdrops. The crux of the entire sticky situation came out of Cathrine's lip glossed mouth even if she herself wasn't aware of it.

"...Hmmm...I don't know why I said that exactly myself." She sweatdrops in turn and they stare at each other for a long moment.

Trowa turns to leave her trailer.

"...Trowa?" Cathy asks.

"Look, I'm not your brother and I can't ever be comfortable with this." He states emotionlessly. "I guess I should stay as far away as possible---outside."

The door closes behind his almost chilly, almost disappointed, words.

"Huh?" Cathrine blushes, knowing only that she did something terribly wrong.

"Trowa!" She just didn't know exactly what that was.

Out in the crisp, sunsetting air, Trowa Barton looks up to the sky with a regretful sigh.

"Why is it Cathrine doesn't understand how I feel for her?" He whispers so low that it was inaudible to all, save for one wizened old creature.

_Grr?_

Girl looks up to his 'master' and human partner with a quizzical look on its fuzzy face. He sticks his big, wet nose out of the cage and Trowa smiles at his friend's uncanny understanding of his emotions all the time.

_I guess that's why I come to you with all my troubles, old friend. _

"I'm going to be staying with you for a while." Trowa pets the furry mane and leathery nose with a small smile. "My 'sister's' going through a lot of trouble to take care of me." Trowa ends that statement with a big sigh.

"A lot of trouble." He repeats absently, scratching behind the lion's listening ear. Girl looks Trowa in the eye with what anyone would swear was a fatherly understanding gaze.

"It's tough being a man..." The human male says aloud as the lion male nods in total agreement.

_My amnesia---everything's come back since then...But maybe she doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about her. To me, Cathrine is..._

**_CLICK!_**

The double door leading to the 'dangerous' caged animal section clangs open and closed again. The woman on Trowa's every thought walks up to the lion's cage, the expression on her face hidden.

_PLUNK!_

Cathrine plunks her bottom on the ground beside where Trowa was kneeling. Neither look at each other.

"I'm sorry, Trowa. It was selfish of me to assume that you would want to live with me, and I could treat you like my brother." Cathrine confesses. Her heart was heavy and her eyes drawn. "After you got your memory back, I...I didn't think you wouldn't want to be with me anymore. But...that's what's happening, isn't it, Trowa?"

"No, that's not it." Trowa says simply, taking her chin firmly in his fingers and looking into her eyes.

"I...I thought I'd make dinner for you, but you probably don't want me to..." Cathrine pulls her eyes from Trowa's green ones. She felt a strange blush crawl up her body at his touch.

Trowa's eyes continue to bore right through her and Cathrine wondered if he could see the blush, the confusion, all the way into her heart...

"I'm not comfortable with the feelings I'm having for you because we were brother and sister, Trowa." Cathrine just lets her heart speak, knowing that it must sound foolish, since Trowa was not really her sibling by blood, but only by the bond she forged with the poor, abandoned boy who had nothing in the world---not even a memory.

But now, now he wasn't her 'brother.' He was a living, breathing, grown up man...

The world seemed to fly by between their blushing eyes as they meet. The whole confusing world circled as if it was making faces at them and their blossoming feelings for one another.

"Heh heh hee hee"

The release the tense moment with a giggle as both begin to chuckle with each other simultaneously, uncomfortably. This was the turning moment in their relationship and both saw it in each other's eyes, as they open on each other, as if for the first time.

"It's about time I graduated from 'brother,' don't you think, Cathrine?" With an all-serious, all-encompassing tone, Trowa's deep throat and deep forest of green eyes glaze over at her. Her violet eyes submissively flutter closed this time.

Last time, on the beach, she was taken by surprise to say the least, unprepared to say the obvious, skittish---as told by her slapping hand. But no sudden violent hand's palm reach out over Trowa's cheek now.

No, Cathrine's mind, heart and soul were ready this time. Her moistening lips were not only ready this time, but willing as his handsome head leans down over her lovely lips. Trowa bestows the gentle, most romantic of kisses on this circus girl who has finally realized that her love for this lonely boy involved every feeling in her beating chest.

He was everything to her---the world existed not in those times they were apart. Not until she was in arms that had once believed they could never feel emotions to be part of a love like this.

And Girl gently purrs on, content with the state of the universe as the curtain of nightfall descends on a world that once was also believe to never be able to exist...


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: **

Lilting strains of a piano echo through a long corridor of the main cabins on the large transport ship. These stateroom cabins were mostly empty, Senator Dorothy Catalonia having found that out for herself. The self-imposed loneliness that she and her catty eyes gave, made it quite clear to the 100% Maguanac crew and one other singular occupant of this vessel, that she was to be left alone for this entire trip.

Outside of her civic tour of the weapons and dangerous cargo onboard the large Winner carrier, Dorothy Catalonia intended to keep it that way. Her duty done, and properly attended to by the Senator, the 'Captain' of the transport ship, one Quatre R. Winner, was happy to give the blonde vixen a personally guided tour of the cargo hold, despite her cold shoulder. Dorothy's suspicious mind was certain that the conceited Winner heir was purposely stretching out her tour of inspections, taking his own sweet time, just so he could spend more time with her. Dorothy was sure of it, especially when Quatre Winner had 'accidentally' brushed his hand against her hair when reaching for an elevator button. Or maybe when he just HAD to physically show off his 'muscle' by hefting her up to get a better look at the reverse fissure tunnel explosion chamber, or something like that.

Dorothy had wished then, that she had worn her slacks instead. Q.R.W. had gotten a pretty good look himself at her own 'reverse fissure end', even as she didn't understand a word of all his fancy technical devices and their impressive sounding names. Still, she made a good show of knowing exactly what he was explaining with those all-knowing, crystal clear blue eyes.

_How can such a cute face understand and utter all of these worthless, scientific terms? _

In an embarrassed, huffy fit, Dorothy suppressed her own foolish thoughts and had refused Quatre's invitation to dinner at the Captain's table (his). Instead, she elegantly bowed to him and retreated to her room, filled now with all her golden trunks.

Dorothy was unaware that this particularly exquisite room, both large and filled with niceties, did in fact usually serve as the said Captain's own cabin. Quatre, gentleman as he was, wordlessly gave up the finest room in the vessel to the finest lady.

And so, the piano rings music beautifully through the cabin's halls, catching Dorothy's ear amidst the utter and total silence of outer space. Was it the sheer boredom that brings her out of her well stocked cabin or was it more curiosity as to what kind of unearthly creature could make those heavenly strains of music come to life?

Dorothy would never know. Her light feet already tripped, almost danced, towards the beautiful music calling to her. Before she could stop herself, both she and the melody wafted down the corridor, towards one another.

If angels could play the harp, they most certainly could play the Raberba Winner fit the bill of an 'angel' quite well, between his white silky flowing poet shirt and his golden sunshine hair, with the glow of an aura almost like a halo about him, not to mention those eyes...let's not even speak of the eyes-they were far too ethereal to be a mere human man's...

All this unbidden romantic thoughts caused by the classical music (it must be!) passed through Dorothy Catalonia's once steel trap of a 'viper woman's' mind as she quietly slips into the darkened room that was alight only by the glow of the passing stars outside the craft's window.

But the stars shone on his golden hair-they made his eyes sparkle, and the ivory keys that his lithe fingers were dancing upon fairly glittered. For Quatre felt his music-in his heart, in his soul, as he closes his eyes.

...And opens them...

Dorothy's own eyes, enraptured for that moment in the soulful, classical composition, snap open upon Quatre's halted, ceasing of the melody. His hands pause on the keys that he was so easily tinkling upon a second before, as his eyes now drink her in.

"Dorothy?" Quatre's voice wasn't much more than a whisper, as if he were feeling some awe of the very surroundings of the ominous space he and every soul on board were traversing through silently, unnoticed among the sea of countless stars.

"Please don't stop on account of me." It was strange, but Dorothy herself felt the enormity of outer space closing around them in his eyes, in the still darkness that was warm. She didn't feel so much frightened, as ashamed, to have interrupted his beautiful music. Dorothy turns on her heel to leave, feeling the sudden need to flee. The door swishes open before her again.

"Don't go!" A soft hand on her arm, a simple spoken command, stops her in her tracks. Dorothy pauses, and turns to look at him. The door swishes back closed.

"Did you like my playing?" Quatre asks, going back to his ebony grand piano, and touching the keys fondly.

"It was beautiful..." Dorothy answers truthfully, with a little tremble in her usually strong voice, that disturbed her.

"I always feel as if music could lift me out of myself. It brings every aspect of my emotions to life. There are so many wonderful classical pieces-and in each one is hidden so much feeling! As if I could reach out and touch my very soul when I play them. Don't you find that, too?" By then, Quatre was standing right in front of her. Dorothy found both his eyes and speech captivating, rooting her itchy feet that wanted to run, right to the spot, in the darkened room she was enveloped with him in.

"Well, I...I never could play an instrument as a child." Dorothy surprises herself with the frank admittance. Usually, all her words were laced with sarcasm and innuendo-especially to him. But not here, not now. This was the first genuine moment that Dorothy Catalonia had felt in a long, long time, as memories of her childhood days slip back...

"At least that's what my music teacher told me." Pulling herself back, Dorothy tries to coyly giggle the past memory off. But Quatre wasn't going to let this opportunity that she just gave him slip by. He had already sensed a soft spot in Dorothy, in the soul that was the same as his, for their must be music there...

"Then maybe you didn't have the right teacher. Everyone has music in their soul if they just reach down deep enough." Quatre takes both her hands in his, invitingly pulling her towards the one place he felt completely at ease in-his piano, his music. Gently sittting Dorothy at the bench, he slides in beside her, fingers lightly dancing across the ivories as he gives her his most reassuring smile.

"Come." He almost whispers, gazing through the inky black darkness into her startled eyes with such a light the entire room seemed to glow she didn't notice the dark anymore. Quatre turns to her with that encouraging smile of his that spoke silent volumes. He lifts her clenched palms and eases them open until Dorothy's fingers were positioned correctly upon the keys. Smiling knowingly with an inward serene glow, Quatre gently lays his hands over her uncertain ones.

In that moment, the very touch of his nimble warm hands on her cold ones causes Dorothy's to stiffen. She begins to tremble involuntarily with a tingling sensation, starting from her fingers, then her whole being reaching all the way into her once untouchable heart in a way it never has before. She looks up at him with a scared expression, only to find one of tender affection affixed upon her with his most beautiful blue eyes that even angels may envy.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you everything I know." Says Teacher to Student, he attentively instructing, each electrified ginger touch welcoming her un-musically inclined fingers into his beautiful world of pure sound. Quatre's hands glide deftly over the tinkling keys as he introduces to Dorothy, Chopin's hauntingly romantic "Fur Elise", for she was his lovelorn 'Elise'. The exquisute strains of longing seemed to accompany the awakening discovery of two young hearts for one another, Dorothy, for once, letting the beauty of both Quatre and his music sweep her away...

Dorothy's blunt fingers gave the piano quite a workout ahead for the next hour or so, before the trip's end. The poor piano, the poor walls, if not poor Master Quatre, and any spying ears, would all require a much needed rest after this 'lesson.' But undaunted, Quatre was giving Dorothy a lesson in love as well...

_The next morning..._

"Miss Relena! Whatever are you doing here? We certainly didn't expect this lovely surprise, did we, Quatre Winner? And how are you, Mr. Milliardo? How are YOU dealing with the surprise?" It was the inference between Dorothy's dripping words to the rolling-eyes Zechs that caused him to wish her back where she came from.

After giving Miss Relena a sister, over the top hug, Dorothy's evillest eyebrow raises at Heero Yuy's skulking presence, a few feet behind Relena, and looking rather well in his cool, dark bodyguard suit and shades.

"Well done, Miss Relena. I never thought I'd see THAT again." Dorothy said it aloud, mostly for Milliardo's sake, as if he needed the reminder. He and Heero didn't get along well, especially now when Relena and her shadow bodyguard stepped off the shuttle to Mars a few days ago.

_As if I don't have enough to deal with, Treize's cousin Dorothy has to tag along with our supplies! Good going, Winner..._

Zechs could almost growl at both Heero and Dorothy alike-they were both quite unwelcome guests on his Colony.

"He's going to be dealing with it just fine. Aren't you, hun?" Obviously, Miss Noin ahem _Mrs. Peacecraft_, has had several choice words with her hubby since Relena's long-planned trip to her brother's terraforming Colony had began.

"So, are the supplies inspected and approved, to be handed over, Quatre? I'm sure with you in charge, everything was done right through. All the papers are signed, right?" Lucrezia Peacecraft wanted to be absolutely sure of this transaction. She and Zechs both had to fight tooth and nail in the Senate, all the way, to get these dangerous explosives and the like for their terraforming project's deepest aspect.

"Inspected, approved and signed by me!" With an illustrious wave of her elegant hand, 'Senator' Dorothy Catalonia shows off her own powers of elected office. She handed Mr. Milliardo, over quaint Miss Noin's head, the final paper stack, that legally signed over the heavy machinery supplies and explosives that the Earth Sphere Unified Nation held securely, for this terraforming Colony's care.

"For use only in the construction clearing of underground mines and natural blockages with no intention of war or aggression whatsoever. Sign after the 'x' on all the dotted lines, on every page, Mr. Milliardo, if you please. What better witnesses to be present, don't you agree, Quatre?" Dorothy prattles on as Noin invites the whole group of them into her humble (she felt it very humble under Dorothy's critical eye) living room/kitchenette.

"An illustrious Earthsphere delegate Senator, a powerful Colony representative and leader, two respected Colony terraformers, the influential Vice Foreign Minister herself-soon to be President of the ESUN..." Dorothy gives the blushing Relena a credited nod and an approving smile. "...and Heero Yuy, our hero, to boot! What better names than than that to our credit as witnesses?" Dorothy eloquently wraps her speech up as Zechs really wished he could give Heero Yuy the boot.

The dark man was still silently slinking in the corner of the small abode, over his small, little sister, was really getting on the tall, blonde man's nerves.

"All right." Dorothy had a way of taking over any situation. She clapped her long nailed porcelain like hands together and pointed at the front door. "Mr. Milliardo, have your men go and get my ship unloaded, of the supplies we brought you. Remember, the sooner you unload, the sooner we're on our way. Correct, Quatre Winner? Don't make such a worried face, Mr. Milliardo! I'm sure Heero will take care of Miss Relena for you, in your absence." Dorothy shoos the blonde man away, as Quatre nods to her, and goes with him.

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Zechs murmurs under his breath, giving Heero the evil eye, as he leaves as ordered, by that woman.

_Next morning..._

"Are you sure I can't offer you a ride home, Miss Relena? There will be **tons **of room for you, on my big, empty transport. I can show you around." Dorothy seemed to have taken possession of Quatre's huge vessel. Relena almost chuckled out loud at this new fact, though in her own vast, feminine intuition, and knowledge of male/female relationships, she secretly felt certain that Dorothy might be in possession of not only his ship, but its owner's heart as well, if the way Quatre was gazing at Dorothy all evening the night before, and bowing and scraping before her like a slave at her feet, adoringly hanging on every word, was any indication.

"Thanks anyway, Dorothy...Quatre." Relena hurriedly adds his name as the dapper looking young gentleman steps out of her brother's rather small and dowdy little home. Quatre takes a rather cologne drenched, well shoe-polished step behind the sparkling and bejwelled inspector, to whom he was 'dutifully' escorting back home to earth, now that their shipment to Mars was successful and without incident.

"But I want to spend a few more days with my dear brother. Considering everything happening, and my busy upcoming schedule, I realized just how much Milliardo means to me, and how much I would've missed him if anything..." Relena trails off, the genuine tears filling her warm eyes as they glance back at the tall figure inside the darkened house.

"Understood, Miss Relena." Warm eyes meet warm eyes. Relena smiles as kind Quatre Winner squeezes her hand emotionally, as he turns to leave. Relena watches the vigorous, almost giddy way, the blonde boy skips down the steps, walking into the bright sunshine and basking in it, as if he were on top of the world, and he knew exactly why.

His eyes openly gaze back at his chosen partner with such utter hope and longing in every sunlit sparkle of them.

"It's good advice, for anyone. Don't you think, Dorothy? To realize, while you have the chance, just how much someone means to you-to your soul." Relena turns a sisterly eye upon this always surrounded, yet lonely in a crowd, young woman, one with high breeding and even higher stubborness. Relena felt that she herself had been once the same as the indigo-eyed blonde, if it had not been for...

"Now you sound like him." Dorothy smirks. Her eyes watch Quatre like a cat. "What do you think, Miss Relena? Woman to woman." Relena is caught quite off-guard by this for a moment. Dorothy Catalonia, though she considered her a dear friend, was not exactly her most forthcoming confidant. But the lonely Senator seemed to consider Relena hers, especially when it came to matters that she never before considered-matters of the heart, of love...

"I...really don't think either of you could've chosen better." Relena decides the diplomatic tact was the best one for 'sister' Dorothy. The head-over heels 'he's perfect for you' or 'I think he's wonderful' was not going to cut it for this finicky blonde at this particular moment of time. The politician as well as fellow woman that Relena had become, had given her her own feminine insight.

"Once again, I find myself in complete agreement with you, Miss Relena. **Do **take good care of this treasure, Heero Yuy. She is a jewel beyond comparison that our world badly needs." With a quick kiss on Relena's cheek, without even turning to look at the bodyguard she just instinctively knew was present at Relena's side, Dorothy C. pops her head in the Peacecraft's shabby front door with a harried 'farewell and adieu' to its glad to be rid of her occupants, before she elegantly descends down the steps to Quatre R. Winner's waiting arm.

He was totally unaware of the girlish talk that had just passed between the two friends about him. He was in a world all his own, and it surrounded her as the uncertainty begins to creep away from Dorothy's once closed heart.

"So where to, Dorothy Catalonia?" Quatre's eyes glisten in the bright morning sunshine as he extends an arm out to her with a flirtatious smile.

"I don't know, Quatre Raberba Winner." Dorothy coquettishly slips her arm through his. "Is there a scenic route home through all these hundreds of thousands of stars you speak so highly of?"

"I'm sure I could find one for you."

"Oh, yes?"

Relena could hear Dorothy's chuckling giggles long after the pair walks into a car and are whisked away.

_One problem solved._

Relena wishes her friends good luck as they speed away.

_Now, if only I could get my brother and Heero to be at least civil to one another. After all, if I love both of them, then...why can't they get along?_

She sighs, and her breath was brightened by a touch of the wind under the bright sunshine.

_Anything's possible under the sun, isn't it?_

But Relena's hopeful smile dims as she turns to look at Heero Yuy's stone-cold, depressing pair of eyes. She could just imagine what Milliardo was going to say now that the guests were gone, and his terraforming supplies consignment was taken care of and stored away for safekeeping until needed in the mines below.

"Relena. I need to talk to you. NOW."

_That didn't take long...Uh oh, big brother alert._

Relena almost wished now that talkative, bossy Dorothy didn't have to leave so soon. That girl at least had some magical way of stunning Relena's big brother into silent consternation.

_It's my turn...for some good luck now, please..._

Relena plants a big smile on her face, as she looks up to the sun in the clear blue sky for inspiration, when it came to dealing with overprotective, older siblings.

"Coming, Milliardo!" Relena, as pleasantly as she could muster, calls back. Her eyes meet Heero's for one split second and that gave her the courage she needed to face Milliardo's wrath, and no doubt lecture at her.

_'While you've got the chance...' Relena! Listen to your own advice. There's hope in everything! It's not as if I was walking into a black hole with no way out._

"He's my brother, for Heaven sakes! If I can't talk to him, who can I?" Relena reasons the unreasonable aloud. She didn't expect an answer, nor did she even take notice that Heero had been silently listening. Her tormented mind just had to let that last sentence out into the air, before she went in, just once. After all, from now on, that's what Heero was going to be-that was what his mission was.

To be Relena's invisible, silent shadow.

Heero turns and follows her as she walks back into the little house, to face her brother, for Heero's sake.

Heero, her faithful shadow.


End file.
